CAIRO: Gaish have tabled a bid to sign Zamalek s veteran striker Abdel-Halim Ali in January, the Cairo giants football director Ahmed Refaat said on Wednesday. We will carefully consider whether to accept Gaish s bid for Ali, Refaat told FilGoal.com on Wednesday. The technical staff will first identify Zamalek needs in the January transfer window before making its final decision. Struggling side Gaish, who failed to build on their fourth-place finish last season, are seeking to reinforce their frontline. Ghanaian striker Ernest Papa Arko is the only reliable striker at Farouk Gaafar s disposal, having scored five goals so far. Ali s experience could benefit Gaish in their bid to climb off the relegation zone. Ali, 35, has been subjected to fierce criticism from Zamalek fans after a string of poor displays. Although Zamalek coach Reiner Hollmann gave Ali numerous opportunities this season, he failed to impress. He wasted many clear-cut chances in crucial moments of Zamalek s Egyptian League campaign. Ali is not considered a fans favorite, despite being Zamalek s all-time leading scorer with 129 goals in all competitions. He helped Zamalek win a host of trophies since joining the club in 1999. Ali scored the winner in Zamalek s 1-0 victory over Baladeya in the 2002 Egyptian Cup final. He also finished the 2003/2004 season as the top scorer with 20 goals to help the White Knights retain their league crown.
