Egyptian Premier League’s 2018/2019 season, which started on Tuesday, witnessed a significant increase in its market value by EGP 941m, reaching about EGP 2.88bn, up from EGP 1.94bn last season.
Cairo giant Al Ahly leads Egypt’s clubs with highest market value up to EGP 516m, followed by Zamalek with EGP 488m, and then Pyramids FC with EGP 449m. The three clubs’ market value represents 50% of the league’s market value, according to Transfermarkt.
Egyptian Premier League’s boom came as a result of Pyramids’ expensive transfer deals and the large number of transfers made by other clubs. Pyramids, previously known as Al Assiouty Sport, was bought by a Saudi investor who changed its name after the approval of the Egyptian Olympic committee and the Egyptian Football Association.
Pyramids FC completed the movement of 19 players valued at EGP 812m, not to mention these players’ salaries. Pyramids’ transfers came mainly from Brazil and the rest from Egyptian clubs with a total value of EGP 319m. The transfer of previous Zamalek star Omar Gaber from Los Angeles Galaxy did cost Pyramids about EGP 41m, marking the most expensive contract in the history of Egypt. Moreover, Pyramids will pay Gaber EGP 24m annually.
Pyramids also signed four Brazilian players, including Marcos da Silva França, commonly known as Keno from Palmeiras for €8.5m, Carlos Eduardo from Goias EC for €5.2m, Rodrigo Vasconcelos from Palmeiras for €5, and Lucas Ribamar of Atletico Paranaense for €4.5m.
Zamalek achieved the highest revenues in this summer transfer market, amounting to EGP 131.5m, of which EGP 120m came from selling the trio Ahmed Al-Shennawy, Ali Gabr, and Ahmed Tawfik to Pyramids.
Zamalek signed 10 players in the summer for EGP 81.5m, to make profits up to EGP 50m. However, Ismaily was the most profitable club in Egypt through achieving revenues of EGP 113.5m from selling a number of its players, while it signed a few players for only EGP 3m. Ismaily’s contracting policy relies on free and young players. Ismail’s highest transfer deal was Tarek Taha from Smouha SC for EGP 1.2m.
Unexpectedly, the holders Al Ahly signed only five players this summer for EGP 24m, including Salif Coulibaly from TP Mazembe. However, the club did not achieve any profits.
Egypt’s summer transfer market included more than 200 deals, including Haras El Hodoud with 21, Pyramids with 19, Ismaily with 17, El Entag El Harby with 16, Tala’ea El Gaish with 15, Al-Gouna with 14, and Petrojet with 13. Al-Gouna was promoted to the Egyptian Premier League after two seasons of absence, and the club signed a number of experienced players, such as Ahmed Eid Abdel Malik, Mohammed Nagi “Gedo”, and Ahmed Said “Oka”.
