Egypt international Emam Ashour, the Al Ahly central midfielder, is being linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad as the Jeddah club weigh up options to strengthen their engine room.
Ashour, 28, is under contract with the Egyptian champions until 30 June 2028, meaning Al-Ittihad would need to negotiate a fee with Al Ahly rather than pursue a free transfer. The midfielder is currently valued at around €5m and any deal is likely to test the Saudi club’s willingness to invest in a player established in African and international competition.
The right-footed midfielder joined Al Ahly in July 2023 from Midtjylland and has since become a key figure, helping the Cairo giants win the CAF Champions League in the 2023-24 season. Domestically, he has collected back-to-back league titles with Al Ahly in 2023-24 and 2024-25, adding to previous championship wins with Zamalek.
Ashour’s form has also transferred onto the international stage. At the 2026 World Cup he started every game for Egypt, scoring twice in five appearances. Earlier in his career he was part of the Egypt side that finished runners-up at the 2021-22 Africa Cup of Nations and won the Under-23 Africa Cup in 2019.
With Al Ahly having invested in Ashour and tied him to a long-term deal, they are under no pressure to sell, and there has been no indication yet that negotiations with Al-Ittihad are advanced. For now, he remains a central figure in the Al Ahly midfield ahead of the new campaign.
