Zamalek welcome Aaron Boupendza despite Romania links

Despite rumors linking him to Romania, Zamalek have welcomed Gabonese forward Aaron Boupendza to the club after receiving his international transfer certificate.

Earlier last week, Zamalek reportedly reached an agreement with Boupendza on a three-year deal after his contract expired with MLS club FC Cincinnati.

However, the player is believed to be keen on returning to Europe instead of moving to Egypt, with FootMercato insisting the player hasn’t reached an agreement with any club yet.

Reports have emerged earlier on Sunday that Boupendza is close to signing for Romanian club FC Rapid București, which led to worry among the Zamalek fans.

The Whites then dropped a bombshell revealing that Boupendza has already signed a contract with Zamalek and the club has received his international transfer certificate.

The official account of Zamalek wrote: “After signing the contract agreement. The international card for the Gabonese player Aaron Boupendza has arrived.”

Missing out on Boupendza would be a significant blow for Zamalek, as it would mark the second forward to opt against joining the club in the final days of the transfer window.

Earlier, Moroccan striker Karim El Berkaoui also chose to renew his contract with his current club, Al-Raed, despite advanced negotiations with the Egyptian side.

Moroccan forward Achraf Bencharki also pulled out of a deal with the Whites after receiving offers from Qatari clubs.