Issam Serraj talks about Maaloul, Ajay and the sale of Evona

Issam Siraj, Al-Ahly’s former director of contracts, confirmed that Tunisian Ali Maaloul had helped a lot and played a leading role in Al-Ahly’s contract dossier with Nigerian Junior Ajay.

Al-Ahly had signed a contract with the duo, Ali Maaloul and Junior Ajay, from the ranks of Sfaxien of Tunisia in the summer of 2016.

“There was great enthusiasm, especially from Sayed Abdel Hafeez, to sign Ali Maaloul, an Acer defender, who has scored more than 15 goals,” Essam Sarraj said in statements to the “Al Tala fans” program.

And he continued: “Maaloul had a penalty clause in his contract estimated at 500 thousand dollars. There was a proposal to put the proceeds to the Tunisian Football Federation and get the player’s services, but Mahmoud Taher, head of Al-Ahly at the time, had another point of view. “

“The president of Al-Ahly said that there is a stature and character for the club in Africa and the Middle East that must be preserved, and therefore we must negotiate directly with Sfaxien,” he said. he declares.

He added: “Maaloul is a respectable person and had the ambition to be at Al-Ahly. He had offers from one of the French clubs, but he preferred to be with us, and that is one of the agreements. distinguished members of the Al-Ahly. Ahly club. “

“Abdul Hafeez and Martin Jol wanted to sign with Ajay after following him. He was participating with Nigeria in the Olympics, we could not communicate with him,” he said.

He continued: “He was sitting with me, Maaloul, I told him about it, so he communicated directly with Ajay, since they are colleagues in Sfaxien, and he spoke with him about Al-Ahly’s desire. to include it and some details. Ajay was welcome on this and he immediately agreed.

He said: “We sent him all the documents and papers and he signed them, and the procurement procedures with him were completed until he ended his involvement with Nigeria and joined the ranks of Al-Ahly. “

He stressed: “After Almighty God, Ali Maaloul has a leading role in the rapid end of Ajay’s agreement with Al-Ahly.”

He then spoke about the sale of Gabonese Evona, saying: “Evona’s sale deal is the highest in Egyptian football history to date. He left Al-Ahly for $ 8 million. . We got 50% before the float., And 50% after the float. “

Al-Ahly had accepted the departure of Malik Evona to the Chinese club Tianjin in the summer of 2016.

He said: “The Chinese club sent the first offer of $ 4 million. Sayed Abdel Hafeez and Abdulaziz Abdel Shafi said the value of the offer is excellent. I spoke with Martin Yol and he said that ‘Evona costs $ 10 million. “

“Martin Jol told me that I could sell an Evona for over $ 4 million and that the way I worked could support me in England,” he said.

He concluded, “I asked the Chinese club for $ 10 million, and they responded a week later with an offer of $ 6 million. Other conditions were set, and two days before the registration gate closed, they agreed to pay $ 8 million. “