Zamalek have opened fire on Brazilian winger Juan Pezerra, amid the crisis that erupted recently over his refusal to return to first-team training ahead of the new 2026-2027 season.
Pezerra had posted a statement on Thursday via his personal "Instagram" account, announcing his desire to leave the club during the current summer transfer window on the grounds of a previous promise made to him.
The "White Knight" hit back with a statement of their own. They refused to let him leave during the ongoing summer mercato and warned him of penalties should he continue to stay away from training.
The statement said: "The board of directors of Zamalek club, headed by Captain Hussein Labib, announces the closing of the door to any offers to sell the Brazilian player Juan Pezerra, first-team footballer, during the current summer transfer window."
It added: "The board stresses that the club has settled its position, and will not discuss any offers received for the player, and Zamalek cannot be forced to sell, whether the player Pezerra or anyone else, especially if the player is absent from training."
The statement continued: "The board of directors stresses that the player's statement included words about a promise from the club to leave at the end of the season, and this did not happen at all on the part of the club president or any of the board members, and the player should have specified who made him this promise."
It went on: "To ensure that Zamalek obtains its rights, the board of directors of Zamalek notified the player of the necessity of returning to Cairo and joining the team's training immediately, in light of his commitment to an official contract with the club for the next 3 seasons."
The board concluded: "The board of directors also affirms that the club is taking all the measures stipulated in accordance with the contract and the governing regulations, including applying the internal regulations to the player, with the club retaining all its rights."
Pezerra joined Zamalek during the last summer transfer window from Ukraine's Oleksandria. He helped fire them to the Egyptian League title, ending a four-year wait.