When Promises Meet the Post: Zamalek’s Keeper Sparks an Internal Shake-Up

Background

Inside the walls of Zamalek, a crisis has erupted around goalkeeper Mhedi Soliman, who is currently under formal investigation and facing financial penalties for repeatedly missing team training sessions.

According to Kooora's sources, Soliman feels sidelined and upset by promises he says he received from the club's sporting director John Edward during negotiations at the start of the season, promises that apparently never materialized.

Soliman will miss the squad's trip to South Africa to face Kaiser Chiefs, as he was left out of the travel list for technical and administrative reasons tied to his latest dispute.

Investigation and Consequences

Sources say the issue stems from how Soliman joined the club, reportedly through a past relationship with John Edward and with assurances that he would be the first-choice goalkeeper, a status now clashing with rivals Mohammed Awad and Mohammed Sobhi.

According to the source, Soliman felt deceived and the promises made during negotiations were not realistic from the start. The coach, Ahmed Abdel-Raouf, has stated that Awad and Sobhi are the two main options for the position, effectively confirming Soliman's exclusion from the manager's plans.

As a result of continued non-participation, the club opened a formal internal investigation and issued a financial sanction to motivate discipline and clarity on his status. The club had signed Soliman from Al Ittihad SC on a free transfer after his contract with the top club ended; He brings long experience with teams such as Enppi, Pyramids FC, Smouha, Ghazl El Mahalla, and Al Ittihad.

The dispute raises questions about the technical criteria behind his exclusion given the presence of two established goalkeepers. The club is awaiting the investigation's results to decide the next steps for the player, who is now outside the first-team plan.

Soliman had expressed happiness at joining Zamalek last summer, viewing the move as a chance to compete for trophies, with the club's media center confirming that negotiations took place through John Edward and that he chose to wait for Zamalek's offer among several others after his contract with Al Ittihad ended.

He had said the competition would benefit the team, and he pledged to give his best to help win titles. However, his exclusion from recent squads despite being a new signing who cost the club a significant financial outlay has sparked debate over the selection criteria and financial management of the club.

The absence underscores potential management challenges in recruitment decisions and raises questions about whether the move served a genuine football need or was driven by other factors.

Meanwhile, the club is awaiting results of the investigation to determine the next steps for the player, who has drifted from the first-team plans. Soliman's career includes spells at Enppi, Pyramids FC, Smouha, Ghazl El Mahalla, and Al Ittihad, giving him a long-standing presence in Egyptian football.

Conclusion: The saga continues as Zamalek assesses the next steps for Soliman and clarifies the criteria behind selection and discipline within the squad.

Punchline 1: If punctuality were a goalkeeper, Soliman would still be keeping the bench warm while the clock keeps buzzing. Punchline 2: In football, promises are easy to make; deliveries, apparently, are a different sport — especially when the ball never comes to you on time.