Al Ahly’s Bold January Move: Morocco’s Rising Star in the Crosshairs and a Transfer Blueprint

January transfer push intensifies for Al Ahly

Al Ahly’s management has stepped up efforts to bolster the first team ahead of the January transfer window. A forthcoming meeting with Danish coach Jes Thorup is slated to lock in the exact players he wants to bring in next month. Thorup is reportedly prioritizing a striker, a defensive midfielder, a left-back, and a center-back, and the club is compiling CVs to present to him after the Egyptian Super Cup in the UAE.

A trusted source told Kooora that Thorup has expressed these priorities, and Said Abd Al-Hafiz is currently gathering potential candidates for consideration once the cup competition in the UAE concludes.

There have been no negotiations yet with specific players. Instead, inquiries are being made about whether the clubs holding the players would release them and what the players themselves would demand in terms of salaries.

Morocco’s rising talent on the radar

The same source emphasized that Fuad Zehwaney, the Moroccan youth left-back who recently helped his country win the World Cup in Chile, is among the names on the list Al Ahly wants to pursue. Abd Al-Hafiz has already contacted Zehwaney’s agent at Union Touarga to gauge his interest and to understand his terms.

Zehenawy has multiple offers from Europe and the Arab world, and another Egyptian club is in contact, but no final agreement has been reached yet. Abd Al-Hafiz outlined two plans: a short-term fix to cover the remainder of the season and a long-term strategy to sign players who can be registered as part of the youth setup, thereby not occupying foreign slots while offering potential investment opportunities. Zehwaney remains among the leading names, though Al Ahly recognizes he is drawing attention from mid-tier European leagues.

Abu Dhabi journey and the finals

Separately, Ahly’s squad departed from their Abu Dhabi base to prepare for the final of the Egyptian Super Cup. Thorup thanked the fans for their support and said he looked forward to addressing them again in the final to celebrate the trophy together.

In the semifinal, Al Ahly defeated Ceramica Cleopatra 2-1 at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, securing a place in the final against Zamalek in Abu Dhabi. Zamalek had beaten Pyramid on penalties 5-4 after a goalless 90 minutes, with Mohamed Awwad saving Mostafa Ziko’s decisive spot-kick.

The Egyptian federation and club leadership stressed that the final remains the focus, with Mahmoud Al-Khatib stressing stability and the importance of full fan attendance. A media ban was imposed on most players, limiting public comments to a select few as the club manages sponsorship commitments and strategic communications. Injured players were not exempt from the restrictions, underscoring the careful handling of media activity ahead of the showpiece clash.

Two light-hearted notes to end on: if Al Ahly’s transfer plan yields trophies, they’ll need a bigger trophy room; and if they sign Zehwaney, the left-back position might soon require a passport for the ball to travel between continents.