The Brazilians are said to be looking to sign two players from Africa’s elite club
Al Ahly midfielder Hussein El Shahat has responded to reports linking him with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Recent reports indicated that Masandawana have made a $3 million (R48 million) bid for the highly-rated attacking midfielder.
The Tshwane giants are also said to have made another $2 million (R32 million) bid for El Shahat’s teammate Ayman Ashraf at the Egyptian champions
This came after it was reported that Al Ahly were keen to sign Sundowns’ influential playmaker Gaston Sirino, after the club appointed Pitso Mosimane as their new head coach late last month.
El Shahat, who is an Egypt international, explained that he was unaware of Sundowns’ interest in his services as he is currently on vacation.
“I do not know anything about the existence of any official offers from the Sundowns Club,” El Shahat told MBC Egypt on Wednesday according to Eg24 News.
“I am currently on vacation with my children and do not occupy my mind with anything, but certainly when you have performances, this means that you are doing well.”
Sirino was one of Mosimane’s key players during the accomplished tactician’s time with Sundowns and the Uruguayan player signed a new five-year deal at the Chloorkop-based giants in June 2020.
El Shahat is Al Ahly’s record signing having joined the Cairo giants from United Arab Emirates (UAE) giants Al Ain, after they paid a whopping $5 million (R80 million) for his services in 2018.
However, the 28-year-old player revealed that he has received offers from the Arabian Gulf where he flourished whilst playing for Al Ain.
“There are Gulf offers that came to me through my agent, but I only focus on the team and continue with it. I closed everything out of love for the Al-Ahly club that I chose,” he added.
El Shahat is keen to help Al Ahly clinch a record-extending ninth Caf Champions League title this year and he spoke about his working relationship with South African tactician Mosimane.
“I hope to achieve the African Champions League championship with Al-Ahly and to dedicate the title to Moamen Zakaria. It does not matter which team we will face in the final match, and we will play to win,” he continued.
“I had a shaky confidence after the opportunity I wasted against Wydad [Casablanca] in Morocco [in the Champions League semi-final first-leg match] after returning from injury and the feeling pressured me to score, but I managed to regain confidence during the return match.
“The coach, Pitso Mosimane, spoke to me and gave me more confidence, and told me that I gave everything I had in the match.”
Al Ahly will take on either Egyptian giants Zamalek or Morocco’s Raja Casablanca in the Champions League final on November 27.
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