Ahly’s Meteb & El-Sheikh Move to Saudi League on Loan

Ahly’s veteran striker Emad Meteb said he was excited by his new challenge at Saudi side Al-Taawoun after joining from Egyptian champions Ahly on a six-month loan deal.

“Thanks God, I signed for Al-Taawwon. It’s a new challenge for me and I’m praying to Allah to support me,” the 34-year-old tweeted Wednesday.

“Special thanks to Al-Taawoun fans; I will meet their expectations, God willing.”

Meteb joined Al-Taawoun in search of more regular football after warming the bench at Cairo giants Ahly, the club where he made his name after coming through their youth ranks more than 13 years ago.

He has fallen out of favour at his boyhood club since the re-appointment of coach Hossam El-Badry in August 2016; appearing for a few minutes in just 17 games and scoring just six goals in all competitions.

Ahmed El-Sheikh joins Saudi side Al-Ettifaq on 6 Months loan deal

El-Sheikh joined Ahly from Egyptian outfit Maqassa in the summer of 2015 but was loaned to Maqassa the following summer after failing to establish himself with the Red Devils.

The 25-year-old made an instant impact with Maqassa last season, finishing as the competition’s top scorer with 17 goals to help the team finish as runners-up behind his parent club Ahly.

Following his successful spell with Maqassa, El-Sheikh returned to Ahly last summer but was hardly given playing time, making only nine appearances that included just three starts, scoring twice.

Al-Ettifaq lie third from bottom in the Saudi league with 14 points.

El-Sheikh becomes the eighth Egyptian player in the Saudi league after Mostafa Fathi, Essam El-Hadary and Emad Meteb (Al-Taawon), Mohamed Abdel-Shafi (Ahli Jeddah), Mahmoud Kahraba (Ittihad Jeddah), Mahmoud Shikabala (Al-Raed) and former Ahly skipper Hossam Ghaly (Nasr).