CAIRO: The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) declared that Ahly have rights in Hosni Abd-Rabou as they decided not to send the player s International Transfer License to Ahly Dubai. Following a meeting between Ahly and EFA officials on Monday, the latter decided to delay sending Abd-Rabou s ITC to Dubai until FIFA rule in the case. The EFA believe that Ahly have rights in Hosni Abd-Rabou s case, and therefore will not send the player s ITC to Ahly Dubai before FIFA s response to Ahly s appeal, a statement on the EFA s official site said. Abd-Rabou s complicated saga, which involved Ahly, Ismaili and Strasbourg, was supposed to end as the Egypt midfielder joined Emirati side Ahly Dubai. However, Egyptian champions Ahly refused to give up on their rights to the midfielder, who signed a contract with the Reds last year. The EFA s new proclamation contradicts with their initial ruling to give Ismaili green light to sell Abd-Rabou to Ahly Dubai. In the wake of the EFA s announcement, Ahly Dubai football director Abdel-Maguid Hussein said he is confident that the case will be resolved. Our relationship with Ahly (Egypt) is excellent, and we are confident that they will co-operate with us, unless they have financial issues with Abd-Rabou, Hussein told Dream TV. We believe that Hosni s ITC will be sent on time of the league kickoff, and the thing that matters at last is the player s own benefit. Meanwhile, Ismaili new chairman Nasr Aboul-Hassan insisted that his club is not part of Hosni Abd-Rabou s fresh transfer problem. Our deal with Ahli Dubai in Abd-Rabou s recent transfer is totally legal, because the move was approved by FIFA, the Ismaili chairman told FilGoal.com. The case involves Ahly (Egypt) and Strasbourg, apparently because Ahly have financial issues with Strasbourg. Ahly paid Strasbourg ?700,000 for Abd-Rabou last year, after which the Egypt international signed a contract with the Reds. However, Strasbourg reached an agreement to sell the 25-year-old permanently to Ismaili, where he spent last season on loan.
