Former Zamalek goalkeeper and current players’ agent Nader El-Sayed has reportedly been detained by Egyptian investigating authorities in connection with an alleged financial irregularity involving a $100,000 payment intended to settle Benjamin Acheampong’s dispute with the club.
Ghanaian attacker Acheampong took legal action against Zamalek over unpaid wages and other outstanding financial entitlements after playing for the Cairo-based club between 2017 and 2018.
The former Asante Kotoko player’s case is understood to centre on money Zamalek paid to El-Sayed several years ago. El-Sayed reportedly received $100,000 to help arrange a settlement between the Egyptian club and Acheampong.
Although El-Sayed signed an official receipt confirming that he had received the money, the proposed settlement was not completed. Acheampong had been expected to sign a financial agreement in Zamalek’s favour, but reportedly refused and continued pursuing his legal claims against the club.
The Ghanaian subsequently won rulings against Zamalek through FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), leaving the dispute unresolved and extending the club’s financial obligations to its former player.
Egyptian outlet Cairo 24 reported that investigators ordered El-Sayed to remain in detention pending the return of the $100,000 and the conclusion of the inquiry into the alleged financial irregularity.
The investigation is part of a wider examination of alleged financial irregularities at Zamalek during previous administrations. It follows continued efforts by Acheampong to recover the money he says remains unpaid.
Zamalek officials had previously claimed that the player’s dues had been settled, but the rulings from FIFA and CAS have kept the matter active.
The dispute has also continued to place scrutiny on the way the club handled its financial obligations during the period in which Acheampong was contracted to Zamalek. The reported payment to El-Sayed was intended to bring the case to an end, but the failure to secure Acheampong’s agreement meant the legal proceedings continued.
El-Sayed’s reported detention relates to the alleged handling of that payment and the failure to complete the proposed settlement. The investigation remains ongoing, and the detention does not establish criminal guilt.
