CAIRO: English side Sunderland have reached an agreement with ENPPI to sign wing-back Ahmed Al-Muhammadi for £2.5 million, the Egyptian Premier League club said on Wednesday. "A Sunderland representative will come to Egypt after the end of the English Premier League to wrap up the deal," ENPPI football director Alaa Abdul-Sadek told FilGoal.com. Egypt's right-sided midfielder Al-Muhammadi was close to joining Sunderland last January but ENPPI rebuffed their bid. However, the petroleum club told Al-Muhammadi he would be allowed to leave at the end of the season. Wigan Athletic were reportedly interested in acquiring his services but Sunderland's relentless pursuit of the 22-year-old apparently favored them. He made no secret of his desire to experience European football after attracting a host of suitors over the past few years. Al-Muhammadi, whose jinking runs down the right flank always cause troubles for opponents, played a key role in helping Egypt win an unprecedented third successive Nations Cup title in January. He scored in Egypt's 2-0 group-stage victory over Benin when his cross somehow drifted its way into the net. He has scored three league goals for ENPPI, who lie ninth in the Egyptian league table, so far this season. If Al-Muhammadi completes his move to Sunderland, he will be the third Egyptian to play under the guidance of coach Steve Bruce after Mido and Amr Zaki, who had loan spells with Wigan last season.
