Emam Ashour's future at Al Ahly hangs in the balance, with talks over a new contract for the Egyptian midfielder hitting the buffers.
According to exclusive information obtained by «Afrique Foot», Ashour and the Al Ahly hierarchy have yet to strike a deal. The sticking point is money. The player's demands simply don't match what the club have put on the table.
Al Ahly have offered Ashour an annual salary of around 25 million Egyptian pounds, roughly 500,000 US dollars, plus close to 10 million Egyptian pounds, around 200,000 dollars, in benefits and bonuses.
Ashour isn't convinced. He feels the terms fall short of his expectations and fail to reflect his value to the side, given the status he has earned since arriving at the Red Castle.
That stance has started to grate on the Al Ahly board. They're desperate to keep one of their standout performers, yet they aren't prepared, for now, to meet what they see as inflated demands from the player.
Tension hangs over the ongoing talks between the two camps. Ashour, meanwhile, appears in no rush to resolve his situation or sign off on an extension at Al Ahly.
Emam Ashour's agent explores the Saudi market
The same sources report that Ashour's representative has started testing the Saudi market, presenting the player's file to Al Shabab and Al Fayha. It's a move that shows both player and camp are willing to weigh up their options should talks with Al Ahly collapse.
That said, the source made clear Ashour's agent doesn't necessarily expect a Saudi bid worth 10 million dollars as a direct payment, the figure Al Ahly set as a minimum to sanction a possible move to Al Ittihad.
The Saudi transfer market has shifted in recent weeks, with many of the big clubs moving early to reinforce their squads according to specific technical needs. That could dent the chances of a Saudi side splashing out a huge fee for the Egyptian midfielder.
«Afrique Foot» confirmed that Ashour has no appetite right now for a spell in the Qatari or Emirati league. His focus is on options that offer both a sporting project and financial terms to match his ambitions.
All of which leaves Saudi Arabia as the standout destination abroad for Ashour, should his talks with Al Ahly stall and no extension materialise.