Former Egypt U-20 midfield star Saleh Gomaa has joined Portuguese side Nacional Madeira, according to the club’s official website.

The ENPPI forward, who was part of the Egypt squad that featured in last summer’s U-20 World Cup in Turkey, completed the move on Thursday – even though the club did not disclose the length of the deal nor the transfer fee.

“I am very happy to be at a big club like Nacional and I hope things will go well for me here,“ Gomaa told the club’s official website.

“During the past year and a half I received offers from several clubs. But my desire to play at a league with attractive football at a club that would help me develop my career made me reject them all.

“I saw Nacional play several times before coming here, their game is very much like our football.

“Also, this team is like a family and I've had the opportunity to feel it as soon as I arrived at the city. It is fantastic and I feel very comfortable being here.

“I hope to be a good addition to the team and work well with everyone; players, coaches and officials to help National succeed,” he concluded.

Gomaa, 20, was on the radar of several European sides last summer – having undergone trials with the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Anderlecht among other outfits.

A deal with any overseas side, however, was never struck – as Egypt’s dismal poor World Cup campaign was believed to have taken a toll on Gomaa’s chances abroad.

He will now be joining defender Aly Ghazal who moved to the club early in 2013.

Nacional are currently sixth of the Liga Sagres table with the second half of the season still to go. 

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