Zamalek link denied as Percy Tau joins Ahly on flight to Joburg for Pirates clash

As Percy Tau joined his Al Ahly teammates on the plane “home” to South Africa for their Champions League clash against Orlando Pirates, reports are a move to Cairo arch-rivals Zamalek is not on the cards for the Bafana Bafana striker.

Tau has had a mixed period at Ahly, at times excelling but not always a favourite of Swiss coach Marcel Koller.

The Red Devils departed Cairo for Johannesburg on Wednesday for Saturday’s Caf Champions League group C clash against the Buccaneers at Orlando Stadium (3pm), soon after a denial by Egypt’s second-biggest team Zamalek of an approach for Tau.

Zamalek board member Ahmed Suleiman told Kingfut.com: “There has never been an offer from Zamalek for Percy Tau. No-one at the club is thinking about signing players from Al Ahly, just as Al Ahly is not considering signing players from us.

“No player joins Zamalek without [coach] José Gomes being fully convinced. As a board, we cannot impose a player on the coach.”

Al Ahly, 12-time Champions League winners, will be favourites in Saturday’s clash.

Jose Riveiro’s Bucs, though, started group C promisingly with their 2-1 win against CR Belouizdad in Algeria and will know that a win at home against the crack Egyptian outfit will set them well on the way for a place in the quarterfinals.

Ahly started the group stage with a 4—2 win against Ivory Coast's Stade d'Abidjan.