When the Wages Strike Back: Mehdi Sulaiman's Quest for His Dues

The wage dispute with Al Ittihad

Mehdi Sulaiman, the current Zamalek goalkeeper, has escalated his financial dispute with his former club Al Ittihad Alexandria by filing a formal complaint with the Egyptian Football Association to reclaim outstanding payments from previous seasons.

He posted a formal statement on his personal Facebook account detailing the issue, saying he had put in long efforts to resolve it amicably, but his attempts have not borne fruit.

Sulaiman explained that he had tried multiple times with the club president who promised a resolution, but nothing happened yet.

He added that not reaching a settlement pushed him to approach official channels to demand his rights, noting that he filed a complaint with the Egyptian Football Association to recover dues for the seasons 2022/2023, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025.

He concluded by insisting on the right he earned through hard work, hoping the club's management would move to resolve the matter in a proper and respectful manner: he is not asking for more than his legitimate rights and has always respected the club; a quick and amicable solution is hoped for.

Club response and ongoing details

Moh Mehmed Ahmed Salama, chairman of Al Ittihad, issued an official statement clarifying the club's position and insisting that the player does not have any pending dues, and that all rights are protected by documents and signed contracts.

He stressed that the club's legal stance is fully sound and that any financial or administrative rights will be addressed through the proper channels, awaiting any official communications from the Egyptian FA to deal with transparently and take the necessary actions to protect the club's rights.

Salama emphasized his complete respect for all players, past and present, with a commitment to applying regulations and preserving documented rights, and said the club will not tolerate any claims that lack documentary proof and will respond to any complaint through official channels.

In the same report, an image of Al Ittihad Alexandria was shown as part of the media presentation to illustrate the piece.

He added that the club will respond to any legal or administrative inquiries through the proper channels and keep the public informed as the process unfolds.

Exclusion controversy: Sulaiman expressed happiness about joining Zamalek in the recent summer transfer window, saying the move to the white team was an opportunity to boost his ambitions and compete for titles.

He explained that negotiations were conducted by the club's sporting director John Edward, and he waited for Zamalek's offer after receiving several other offers following the end of his contract with Al Ittihad, until a full agreement was reached.

The goalkeeper said competition with his colleagues in goal, Mahmoud Awad and Mohamed Sobhi, would benefit the team, and he pledged to do his best to help the club win trophies: everyone will work hard on the pitch to serve Zamalek, and he will do his best to help his teammates win titles.

Nevertheless, his exclusion from the starting lineup in some recent matches—despite being a new acquisition that cost the club a significant amount—spurred widespread debate about the team's technical criteria, suggesting the signing was not based on urgent football needs and highlighting potential management issues in the transfer file that increase costs without clear on-field returns.

Tributes: The article notes that Sulaiman's move coincided with Zamalek's plan to honor late star Mohamed Sabry in the upcoming match against ZESCO United of Zambia, with a minute of silence and wearing a memorial shirt; the club will display a Sabry image and wear black armbands.

Legacy continues: Zamalek welcomed Sabry's sons Adam and Aser to join the club’s football sections, with Adam joining the 2010-born team and Aser joining the 2012-born team; official forms were signed to register them, and Aser began training with the 2012 squad; they will join Adam and Aser's registration in December.

The club's vice president Hisham Nasr welcomed the two, toured the club's museum, and took photos with the club's trophies; handball star Ahmed El-Ahmar also honored Sabry's sons by presenting them with his own jersey, a symbolic gesture underscoring the ongoing legacy of the Zamalek legend.

And now, to finish with a touch of light humor: if football contracts came with a carbon copy of every clause, this saga would read like a stadium-sized encyclopedia. And if someone bets on a quick settlement, they should probably bring popcorn—the sequel is already filming in slow motion.