Al Ahly are set to sign Algeria international defender and USM Alger skipper Zineddine Belaid on a four-year deal.
The African champions have reportedly agreed on a deal worth €750,000 with Algerian club USM Alger to acquire the services of Belaid starting next summer.
Belaid, 25, has attracted a lot of attention due to his consistent performances and has been of late a regular member of the Algeria squad and was even called up to the 2024 AFCON.
And it has been said that Al Ahly boss Marcel Koller has identified Belaid as the perfect jigsaw puzzle missing in the Reds’ defence following the injuries affecting Yasser Ibrahim, Rami Rabia, and Mahmoud Metwally recently.
According to reports, Belaid has already signed a four-year deal with Al Ahly that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2028.
With seven caps to his name, Zineddine Belaid led USM Alger to a historic CAF Confederation Cup in 2023 as well as scoring the winner against Al Ahly in the 2024 CAF Super Cup earlier this year.
He will become the third-ever Algerian to represent the Reds after Amir Sayoud and current loanee Ahmed Kendouci, who could be forced to leave to empty a foreign-player spot.
The news also all but confirms the departure of Mahmoud Metwally and puts uncertainty over the future of star man Mohamed Abdelmonem, who has been a target for several European and Saudi clubs.