Al Ahly select Percy Tau for midweek encounter amid transfer talk
Al Ahly coach Ricardo Soares has named forward Percy Tau in the playing squad to face Farco FC on Wednesday, in what seems a response to reports that the South African star has been placed on the transfer-list alongside five other players.
It is the first time that Soares has named the former Mamelodi Sundowns player in his playing squad over three weeks after he recovered fully from an injurt and resumed training with the main team.
Interestingly, Al Ahly media team has also featured the Bafana Bafana star as the posterboy on a flyer for the team’s playing squad for the domestic league game.
It appears the Reds are trying to respond diplomatically to reports that were rampant earlier on Tuesday that they Tau had reportedly been placed on a transfer list by Al Ahly, barely 11 months after his big-money move to the Egyptian powerhouse from Brighton and Hove Albion in England.
Several North Africa and South Africa media outlets say Tau has been placed on the transfer-list alongside his former Mamelodi Sundowns team-mate Mozambican Luis Miquissone.
The struggling Cairo giants have reportedly also transfer-listed Ali Lofti Mostafa Shobier, Mahmoud Wahid, Mohamed Mahmoud and Mahmoud Metwaly.
There is no official confirmation from Al Ahly yet but leading Egyptian publication KingFut has been reporting that the 28-year-old Bafana Bafana player could be on his way back to Belgian side Anderlecht.
The former Sundowns forward had a productive loan spell at Anderlecht before he eventually rejoined Brighton and Hove Albion.
However, Brighton manager Graham Potter made it clear that Tau was fifth on the pecking order for strikers behind the likes of Solly March, Leandro Trossard and Danny Welbeck and soon, the prospect of working under his mentor Pitso Mosimane compelled Tau to sign for Al Ahly last September.
However, the Bafana Bafana vice-captain struggled with injuries that undermined his form, as he managed just eight goals across all competitions.
The departure of Mosimane from Al Ahly in June also seems to have painted a bleak future on the future of the forward now that the Reds are under the tutelage of Soares.
The Al Ahly new boss has not featured Tau in three back-to-back games despite that he has recovered fully from an injury.
Soares told Al Ahly a few days ago that Tau is not yet fully fit to warrant selection into the team’s playing squad whereas the Mozambican has been getting some game-time.
The Mozambican has been linked with a move to former club Simba in Tanzania and Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa.
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