The hostile rivalry between Ahli and Ismaili prevented Hosni Abd-Rabou from joining the Cairo giants two years ago but such a move remains a possibility. The Egypt midfielder agreed to join Ahli in the summer of 2008, prompting an angry response from Ismaili fans who believed that their bitter rivals were trying to deprive them of their prized assets. Abd-Rabou, who reportedly received death threats from the Ismaili supporters, eventually backtracked on his decision, preferring to join another Ahli in the United Arab Emirates. He joined the Dubai-based club on a two-season loan deal that will expire in the summer. Cairo's Ahli are waiting in the wings to sign him from Ismaili. "A player of Abd-Rabou's caliber would be a valuable addition to our squad," Ahli's marketing director Adli Al-Qaeyi told Egyptian radio on Wednesday. "I read some reports which said that Ismaili will not be able to pay him his dues. We will make a move for him if a chance comes up." Mohamed Shawky, another Egyptian international midfielder, is also on the wish-list of the Red Devils. The 28-year-old left Ahli to join then English Premier League side Middlesbrough in the summer of 2007 but struggled to play regularly until they were relegated to the second division. He moved to Turkish side Kayserispor last January but could head back to his boyhood club next season.
Shawky to rejoin Ahli? "Shawky is also a player we would like to have in our squad," Al-Qaeyi, the man responsible of recruiting many high-profile players in the 2000s including star playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, added. "Signing Shawky and Abd-Rabou will not be easy but we would be delighted if we managed to get them." No Repeat Ahli's poor activity in last summer's transfer window will not be repeated, according to Al-Qaeyi. The 34-time Egyptian champions signed several second-division players who could not even get a chance to prove their worth. Apart from central defender Sherif Abdul-Fadil, none of Ahli's last-summer arrivals made a notable impact. "The coming period is crucial, so we need to sign stars and renowned players," Al-Qaeyi said. Despite relying on several youngsters during a tiring campaign that saw some key players sustain serious injuries, Ahli found no difficulty in running away from the likes of Zamalek, Petrojet and Ismaili at the top of the Egyptian Premier League table. They need to get a point from their remaining four league games to win a sixth consecutive league title, their 35th overall.
