Al Ahly have rejected reports of a power struggle within their football administration, insisting that vice-president Yassin Mansour and board member Sayed Abdel Hafiz are working in coordination with club president Mahmoud El Khatib.
An official source at the Egyptian club told WinWin that reports suggesting a dispute had emerged following the decision to assign Mansour and Abdel Hafiz to oversee the football sector were inaccurate.
“There are continuous attempts to project an unreal image to the public that every change or reorganization within the football sector means there is a crisis or conflict between officials, which is completely far from reality.”
The source said Mansour and Abdel Hafiz were carrying out their responsibilities under the mandate given to them by the board, while continuing to refer football-related matters to El Khatib.
He added that the two officials understand El Khatib’s position within the club and his experience in Egyptian football, meaning decisions concerning the football sector are discussed and coordinated with the president.
“There is no crisis or internal conflict as some are trying to portray the matter,” the source said.
The source also dismissed suggestions that the changes introduced to Al Ahly’s football structure this season were designed to address problems from the previous campaign.
He described that interpretation as “completely untrue”, arguing that the decisions made last season were based on the club’s objectives at the time.
According to the source, Mansour and Abdel Hafiz understand the circumstances behind decisions concerning player salaries and major signings during the previous season. Those decisions, he said, were made as Al Ahly prepared for the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States.
The source said the club’s priority was to assemble a squad capable of competing strongly at the expanded tournament.
He said El Khatib did not view the signings of Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet and Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan, or the decision to negotiate with Ahmed Mostafa Zizo after his contract with Zamalek expired, as violations of the club’s financial approach.
Instead, the source said, those moves were part of an attempt to build a squad capable of making a significant impact at the Club World Cup.
Al Ahly’s management had hoped to progress as far as possible in the tournament, which featured 32 teams for the first time. According to the source, reaching the last 16 would have provided substantial sporting, financial and marketing benefits.
He said Al Ahly came close to advancing from the group stage but were prevented by details during their matches. He pointed specifically to the missed penalty by Trezeguet in the opening game and the failure to secure victory in another match as moments that could have altered the outcome.
Al Ahly revenues exceeded $11m
The source also said Al Ahly generated more than $11m in financial and marketing returns from their Club World Cup participation and the related deals and activities surrounding the tournament.
He said the club’s original plan had been to raise its total revenue to about $20m if the team reached the second round. That figure would have included additional tournament prize money as well as marketing and advertising opportunities handled by the football company.
The source argued that decisions taken before the tournament should be assessed according to the circumstances and objectives that existed when they were made, rather than judged solely on what happened afterwards.
He said the club had been pursuing sporting success at the tournament because a strong run would also have brought significant financial and marketing benefits.
The source further explained that the new system for player contracts and salaries introduced this season was not intended to correct previous errors.
Instead, it represents what the club considers a different approach for the current period, with some financial rewards and benefits linked to winning championships and players’ participation rates.
The source said the purpose of the revised system was to give players additional incentives to compete for trophies rather than suggest that the previous policy had been a mistake.
He ended by reiterating that Mansour and Abdel Hafiz remain in full coordination with El Khatib and that reports of a dispute over the management of Al Ahly’s football operations have no basis.
