Pitso Mosimane announces Al Ahly squad for Mamelodi Sundowns trip
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Egyptian giants Al Ahly officially announced their squad to take on Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League on Saturday.
The African champions will be seeking revenge when they go up against the South African champions this weekend, after losing their first group stage match against Downs 1-0.
On Wednesday morning, the Red Devils named revealed their full squad list for the coming encounter.
The Egyptian side are currently second in Group A after three matches, three points behind Downs.
Mosimane’s Al Ahly have eyes on GPL top-scorer Mbella
The Cameroonian has risen to prominence in his first season into his three year deal at Kotoko. Having joined from Cameroonian side AS Fortuna at beginning of this term, Mbella walked into the starting lineup easily with his presence sidelining Solomon Sarfo Taylor, Andy Kumi and Evans Adomako to the bench.
The Cameroonian International scored 11 goals and assisted 3 times after first round of the Ghana Premier League. The 20-year old began the second round last weekend with a superb brace against Dream FC at the Baba Yara Stadium.
In the game, Mbella’s goals, all coming in the second half were the difference as Kotoko picked three points in first game of the league’s turn.
The way Mbella has started off at Kotoko is good for one of the club’s ambition of winning the Caf Champions Leagues- which will become Kotoko’s first continental title since 1983. Looking at direction of the Ghanaian side over the last two seasons, they are likely for that feat after leading the Ghana Premier League table- that will take them to the African Champions League- with 40 points.
With their ambition on course as it stands now, Kotoko could lose the services of the project’s X factor Mbella. Having scored 8 goals in the Cameroonian top flight last season, he attracted interest from the local league, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Sudanese leagues.
However, Asante Kotoko finally wrapped up a deal for Mbella before these clubs could organize themselves into racing for the Cameroonian’s signature.
A scout who has strong connection with Ghana football conjured Kotoko and Mbella union last year. After hitting the ground running in the Ghanaian top flight, Mbella may see his side Kotoko battling to keep him with hosts of clubs interested in signing Etouga Mbella at the end of the season.
The Ghana Premier League leaders have no intention of selling their prize asset at the end of this season but offers they will be presented with exchange for Mbella could tempt them to let go the Cameroonian forward. This development has been highlighted by Kotoko Chief Executive Officer Nana Yaw Amponsah in exclusive interview with Kumasi based Radio Station Oyerepa FM.
The Chief Executive Officer was comparing his club with African giants Al Ahly on many fronts including support base, stadium, training facility and purchasing power in the transfer market.
With Kotoko’s low financial status mainly due to poor stadium attendance and contributions from supporters, they will struggle to keep Mbella if offers start flying in.
“If our supporters don’t come to the stadium, how can we maintain Mbella? We’ll be forced to sell players so that we can balance our books,” Amponsah told Oyerepa FM.
“Offers are coming in for Franck Mbella and Georges Mfegue. We can only keep these players if supporters are committed to come to the stadium and contribute to the virtual challenge.
“I want to see the supporters who are the fuel of the club contribute much to Kotoko.
“If 10,000 fans attend a single game of our club, on average we can get about GHC200,000 after deductions. Kotoko will bag GHC400,000 in every month which is a huge amount in dollars. We can keep our best players.”
Kotoko lost former striker Kwame Opoku to Algerian side USM Alger a year ago before Razak Abelora and Joseph Amoako left the Reds in same tune of financial crisis. Mbella will not be different if clubs submit offers for the Cameroonian forward sound Nana Yaw Amponsah.
And Kotoko’s big loss may be on the way after North African giants Al Ahly, Zamalek, Etoile Sportive du Sahel and Raja Casablanca reportedly interested in signing Franck Etouga Mbella next term. Premier Soccer League side Kaizer Chiefs and Dr Congo outfit TP Mazembe are also tracking the Kotoko forward.
Al Ahly and Zamalek appears favorite to land Mbella with the Egyptian clubs hoping to sign a center forward- a position they are lacking for seasons now.
Al Ahly has always prefer to deploy a non-North African center forward up front and since the signing of Junior Ajayi and Aliou Badji didn’t go as expected, the Caf Champions Leagues winners has since been within the ranks to solve that challenge.
Same as Zamalek who have struggled to deploy a typical center forward in replacement for Mustapha Mohamed who departed Cairo for Galatasaray last season.
Al Ahly and Zamalek are expected to draw Asante Kotoko to the table in a big money move as halves of Cairo battle for Cameroonian GPL top scorer.
Aside the African interest, clubs in Europe have also scouted Mbella for a potential big money move which Kotoko will be forced to sell. Close source has revealed that the agency who facilitated the signing of former Kotoko goalkeeper Razak Abelora for Sheriff Tiraspol would attempt luring Mbella to the Moldovan side.
It’s also understood that French Ligue 1 side Mertz have offered Kotoko 2.5M Dollars for Mbella as Kotoko weight deal according sources in Ghana.
Kotoko have undisclosed asking price fee for Mbella but to lure the forward from the Ghana Premier League may require huge sum of amount. The fee could be matched by Al Ahly, Zamalek and Sheriff while the likes of TP Mazembe, Kaizer Chiefs, Etoile and Raja Casablanca would struggle to raise funds for the deal.
A potential Kotoko asking price may cancel out Kaizer Chiefs, Raja, Etoile and Mazembe who have financially drained for some time now having once appeared a force to reckoned with in big money signings on the African continent.
In return, it hands Al Ahly and Zamalek, who are much interested in Mbella, a key advantage in the race of 20-year old’s signature.
