A former Al Ahly chief has jumped to Pitso Mosimane's defence, addressing false criticisms that had previously been directed at the South African tactician.
It has been revealed that, in 2021, the Egyptian giants, then managed by Mosimane, were close to securing a deal for Moroccan attacker Soufiane Rahimi, who, at the time, represented Botola Pro 1 outfit Raja Club Athletic.
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It was believed the player had agreed to join the club, with an announcement confirming the move even being lined up, but to the surprise of many, the deal fell through.
The Red Devils ended up signing Mozambican midfielder Luís Miquissone instead, and Mosimane received much criticism for the failure to bring Rahimi to the club, with some believing it was the coach who pulled the plug on the deal for the attacker, who has gone on to impress since.
The 28-year-old ended up joining United Arab Emirates side Al Ain, where he went on to win a league trophy, and helped the side clinch the AFC Champions League title last season, with the attacker ending the competition as its top goalscorer.
The forward also competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. His eight goals – the highest in the competition – helped Morocco claim a bronze medal.
Former Ahly director Sayed Abdel Hafeez has now revealed what really transpired for Rahimi's transfer to fall through.
"He who keeps silent about the truth is a mute devil. Mosimane, the club's former coach, did not refuse to sign Rahimi, as some say," the former club executive explained, per 365Scores.
"The whole thing is that Rahimi was actually close to [joining] Al Ahly and we made him an official offer, but he received an offer exceeding $4 million (around R68 million), and this is the reason why his transfer to Al Ahly was not completed.
"Luis Miquissone was contracted after the failure of the Rahimi deal.
"Everything that has been circulating in the past period, about South African Pitso Mosimane's refusal to sign Rahimi, is baseless."
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