It is now said that during his time at Al Ahly, coach Pitso Mosimane turned down the opportunity to sign one of Morocco's most in-form players and instead opted for Luis Miquissone.
In October 2020, Al Ahly appointed Mosimane as their new head coach after he had spent almost eight years at Mamelodi Sundowns.
In August the following year, the Egyptian giants signed Miquissone from Simba SC in a deal worth €850,000 (R16.7 million), with the Mozambican star reuniting with his former Sundowns boss in Cairo.
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Miquissone played just one season at Al Ahly before being loaned out and eventually sold in 2023, with the move proving to be underwhelming in hindsight.
However, it is now claimed that Mosimane had the chance to sign a different star instead of Miquissone – a player who has since gone on to achieve far greater success after being turned down by the South African in 2021.
Former Egypt and Al Ahly goalkeeper Ahmed Shobeir has revealed that Mosimane rejected Morocco international Soufiane Rahimi, who went on to win the 2023/24 AFC Champions League title and its Golden Boot award with Al Ain.
According to Al Masry Al Youm, Shobeir said on his radio show: "I mentioned a while ago that Soufiane Rahimi had been offered to Al Ahly and that Mr Mosimane rejected the signing, choosing instead to bring in Luis Miquissone.
"Even when my dear colleague Captain Sayed Abdelhafiz came out and denied this, I told him: 'No, Captain Sayed, it was Soufiane Rahimi himself who told me this.'
"Thank God, Amir Tawfik came out yesterday and confirmed what I had said. He was the director of transfers at the time, knew everything, and stated that the deal was all but done, but Mr Mosimane refused to go through with it.
"Why did Mosimane reject him? Maybe he wasn't convinced by him, maybe he simply had other preferences or beliefs about different players, or perhaps there were other factors involved – I'd rather not go into those."
Rahimi is set to star at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with Emirati giants Al Ain, who have been drawn in Group G alongside Manchester City, Juventus, and Wydad Athletic Club.
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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