Conflicting reports Percy Tau has left Ahly, but he appears to be staying

A report that Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau had left Egyptian giants Al Ahly on Tuesday appears to be unsubstantiated.

The report by an SA sports website said Tau had left the Cairo giants, where he has been known to be unhappy since the departure of Pitso Mosimane as coach, and has also dealt with injuries and pressure to win over the club’s supporters.

There has been no confirmation of that from Al Ahly, and another report in SA and at least two from Egypt, citing sources at the club, said Tau had not left the team.

Two Egyptian football journalists told TimesLIVE on Tuesday afternoon Tau had not left Ahly.

Omar Elbanouby, a writer, sports journalist and academic researcher who does work for Al Ahly TV, said via WhatsApp: “He is still a player at Al Ahly, still under contract and no decision about him leaving as he one of the important players of the team.

“During his only interview on Al Ahly TV, when we asked him about the relation between joining al Ahly and Pitso as a coach of the team, he said that he came to Ahly because he wants to play here and to win titles and not because of Pitso.”

Another football journalist in Egypt, Reham Hamdi, WhatsApped: “Yeah not true until now, nothing happened and Percy still a player at Al Ahly.

“But if Al Ahly have a good offer from any club, they don’t mind letting him go. But until now there is not any offer for him.”

Tau was signed by his former Mamelodi Sundowns coach, Mosimane, at Ahly on a three-year deal from Premier League team Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2021.

Since Mosimane’s departure from Cairo in June Tau has cut a lonely figure at the 10-time Caf Champions League winners.

Tau's agent, Mmatsatsi Sefalafala, could not be reached for comment.