The Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah reported that Al Ahly turned down an approach from Al-Ittihad centered on midfielder Emam Ashour. The offer included a $6 million transfer fee along with a $4 million annual salary for the player. Al-Riyadiyah added that the bid reflected Al-Ittihad’s interest in strengthening its midfield options during the current transfer window. The publication noted the swift rejection from the Cairo club without entering into detailed counter negotiations.
According to Al-Riyadiyah, Al Ahly has calculated its total investment in Ashour at roughly $6 million since securing him from Midtjylland. That figure comprises a $3 million transfer fee paid to the Danish side plus around $3 million in wages provided over the course of three seasons. The newspaper’s data places Ashour’s current annual salary at $315,000 within the Al Ahly setup. This financial backdrop has contributed to the club’s firm position on retaining the midfielder.
Al-Riyadiyah stated that Al Ahly officials consider Ashour not for sale under the terms proposed by the Saudi club. The Egyptian side views the $6 million fee element as falling short of the player’s established value to the squad. The report from the Saudi daily highlighted this assessment as the core reason the bid failed to advance. Such determinations align with Al Ahly’s approach to its core roster members.
The same Al-Riyadiyah coverage indicated that Al-Ittihad maintains interest in a separate Al Ahly midfielder named Marwan Attia. This parallel pursuit suggests a targeted focus on acquiring Egyptian league talent for the Jeddah-based team’s engine room. The publication stopped short of outlining any specific financial details attached to the Attia interest. Its account positioned both players within the broader context of regional transfer discussions.
Al-Riyadiyah has tracked similar cross-border transfer attempts involving Saudi Pro League clubs and North African powerhouses in recent windows. The newspaper’s latest dispatch on the Ashour matter supplies an updated view of these interactions as the summer recruitment phase unfolds. Its reporting draws on sources familiar with the clubs’ internal considerations. The coverage remains the primary account of the bid’s outcome and the responding valuation.
