The dream is alive in Cairo, but the reality is somewhere in Ohio.
Media pundit and former Al-Ahly goalkeeper Ahmed Shobier has poured cold water on hopes of a winter reunion between Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali and the African champions, making it clear that Columbus Crew see the forward as central to their future.
Abou Ali: A dream that won’t cross the Atlantic
"There was talk published yesterday that Al-Ahly had begun to open discussions or test the waters over the return of Wessam Abou Ali, and whether Columbus Crew would agree to his departure or not," Shobier said in radio remarks on Monday.
He admitted his own enthusiasm for the idea. Abou Ali left a mark at Al-Ahly, the kind of striker whose absence is felt in the penalty area and on the scoreboard.
"I said, if only, because he was a player who made a huge difference with Al-Ahly," Shobier continued. But that is where the optimism ends.
According to him, Columbus Crew’s stance is uncompromising. Their coach, Shobier explained, "said he is the future of the club, there is no chance of him leaving, and he said his injury had affected the team and that he will return soon."
That closes the door almost completely, at least for January.
"If there is even half a chance of him returning to Al-Ahly, I say to the Al-Ahly club, do not hesitate," Shobier urged. Then came the blunt reality check: "The idea of his return is almost non-existent, but it is important for one to dream and think."
For now, Abou Ali remains a fantasy signing, a name that fuels conversations rather than negotiations.
Ammouta turns up the heat inside Al-Ahly’s dressing room
While the transfer talk swirls outside, the real work is happening behind closed doors.
Shobier revealed that Moroccan coach Hossein Ammouta held what he described as a "very, very long lecture" with the Al-Ahly players on the eve of their next league fixture. It was not just a tactical briefing; it sounded like a clear-the-air summit.
"They opened their hearts to one another and spoke together," he said. The mood, by his account, has shifted. "You feel that the players are motivated and want the next match, and there is a state of anger because they see that the fans are very, very angry with the performances in the recent period, and the players want to prove themselves and deliver a better level."
That anger might be exactly what Ammouta needs.
Al-Ahly face Abu Qir for Fertilizers on Tuesday in the Premier League, a fixture that, on paper, they should dominate. On the table, though, the margins are tight. They sit third with 10 points, level with runners-up Zamalek on goal difference and two points behind leaders Pyramids.
It is early, but in Cairo, early-season stumbles tend to echo loudly. The players know it. So does the coach. And, judging by Shobier’s words, so do the fans.
Zamalek and Bezerra: the saga finally ends
Across the divide, Zamalek have drawn a line under one of the longest-running stories of their season. The Juan Bezerra file is closed.
"Finally the closing credits have rolled on the Bezerra nights saga," Shobier declared. "Zamalek had no option but to agree to Bezerra's departure, for several reasons, among them that there is no hope left with him."
The Brazilian’s mind, he said, was already made up. The offer from Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai ticked every box for the player: "The Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai offer suited him, it settled in his mind and he will not go back on it, money and then the life in Dubai, and Zamalek tried left and right but there was nothing."
Zamalek’s hands were tied on the sporting front. On the financial front, they were desperate.
A deal driven by crisis
Shobier did not sugarcoat the club’s situation.
"The club is suffering from a very, very severe financial crisis and so Zamalek is in dire need of money, and the players have dues owed to them and want their money," he said.
That context explains why the club accepted a deal that is as much about survival as it is about squad planning.
He laid out the figures in detail: "As I told you yesterday, the financial details of the contract, 3 million dollars cash upon signing, one million dollars in February and one million in August, in addition to one million dollars in incentives and bonuses. Zamalek here is telling you I have 6 million dollars."
The financial relief stretches even further thanks to what Bezerra gave up. There was a 10% commission for his agent, close to 600 thousand dollars, which was waived. Added to that were 5% sponsorship rights and a league title bonus of around 20 thousand dollars. All surrendered.
"Zamalek is telling you like this, I am reaching approximately 7 million dollars," Shobier summed up.
For a club battling a "very, very severe" crisis, that number is not just a transfer fee. It is oxygen.
A late twist in the contract
There was one more important detail.
"What I knew yesterday was that there was no resale clause for Zamalek club," Shobier admitted. "But I learned that Zamalek in the final metres insisted on writing a clause entitling the club to a 20% share of the value of the player's sale in the future."
It is a small victory in a deal they were forced to accept, a hedge against watching Bezerra shine elsewhere without any future benefit.
So Al-Ahly dream of a striker who is not coming back, at least not now. Zamalek part ways with a forward who no longer wanted to stay, but walk away with a lifeline and a slice of whatever comes next.
The league table is still tight. The pressure in Cairo is not.
