Mohamed Aboutrika of Egypt's Al-Ahly (Photo: Reuters)
Ahly have agreed a six-month loan deal for Mohamed Abou-Treika with Emirati side Bani Yas.
“Ahly has agreed to send Abou-Treika out on loan because the future of the Egyptian league is still uncertain due to the current political situation in the country,” Ahly football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz was quoted as saying on the club’s official website.
The deal amounts to LE8 million ($1.2 million), divided between the player and the club. The paperwork is due to be finalised today before the winter transfer window closes.
“Abou-Treika’s loan will give a good opportunity for new talents to be promoted to the first team,” Abdel-Hafiz added.
Manager Hossam El-Badry announced earlier that he was sticking with the 34-year-old star, but the foggy future of the domestic competition and the financial reward played a key role in finalising the deal.
Abou-Treika, who joined Ahly in 2004, has earned a cult status among Ahly's fans after leading the club to a host of titles since his arrival.
He steered the club to seven Egyptian Premier League titles, two Egypt Cups and three African Champions League triumphs, among other accolades.
He has scored 79 league goals for Ahly and finished as the competition’s top scorer in 2006 with 18 goals.
Abou-Treika was named as the best African-based player in 2012 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Amid a financial crisis for almost all Egyptian clubs, the domestic league season is due to start on 2 February after a one year suspension following the Port Said stadium disaster that left 71 Ahly fans dead. The league resumption is still uncertain because of ongoing unrest in the country. Ahly is scheduled to kick-off their title race on Saturday against Ghazl El-Mahalla.
Ahly approved a loan deal for young defender Mohamed Abdel-Fattah ‘Taha’ to Wadi-Degla, while midfield duo Ahmed Fathi and Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo’ are already completing travel procedures to play for English Championship side Hull City on a six-month loan deal.
Fourth in the league table, Bani Yas landed Egyptian striker Mohamed Zidan last summer after he had spent 12 years in Europe.
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