Ahly announced on Tuesday the signing of Egyptian attacking midfielder Ahmed Hamoudi from Saudi side Albatin. "Hamoudi officially signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Ahly starting January," Ahly's marketing director Essam Serag was quoted as saying by the club's official website. "The player will be available for the training camp in the UAE amid preparations for the Super Cup match against Zamalek," he added without revealing the financial details, though reports indicate that the deal is worth $150,000. The 26-year-old Hamoudi, who also plays as a winger, joined Albatin last summer as a free agent after amicably parting ways with Swiss club Basel. The Egyptian international made only eight league appearances with the Saudi side this season before boycotting recent trainings after a dispute with the management over his departure. "The board agreed to sell Hamoudi to Ahly after ensuring all the club's rights" Albatin said in a statement via their official twitter account on Monday night. Hamoudi is Ahly's third winter signing after the team recently acquired the services of Egyptian midfielder Amr Barakat from Belgian club Lierse and Ivorian striker Souleymane Coulibaly from Scottish club Kilmarnock. "I didn't hesitate to accept Ahly's offer, preferring them to many other clubs who contacted me recently," the player said in an interview with Ahly's official website. "I promise the fans to do my best to please them and win titles. I hope Ahly will be my gate to return back to the national team," he added. Hamoudi had joined Swiss champions Basel on a four-year deal in 2014 from Egypt's Smouha, having made 12 league appearances in the 2014/2015 season in addition to another four in the UEFA Champions League. He scored twice in all competitions at the time. The Egyptian international was loaned out to Zamalek in the 2015/2016 season, with an option for the Egyptian giants to sign him permanently, but they failed to reach an agreement over the deal. On the international level, Hamoudi made his debut with the Pharaohs in 2012, making eight appearances so far. Ahly are leading this season's league table with 45 points, five ahead of second-placed Maqassa who still have one match on their hands. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)
