The €5M standoff: Inside the collapse of Emam Ashour’s Turkish transfer deal

Turkish side Konyaspor have officially withdrawn from negotiations to sign Egyptian international midfielder Emam Ashour after failing to reach an agreement with Al Ahly, club spokesperson Cengiz Yonet has confirmed.

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Talks collapse over valuation and Al Ahly stance

Speaking to Turkish outlet Anadolu'da Bugün, Yonet revealed that Konyaspor had identified the 28 year old midfielder as a primary target for the current transfer window before negotiations reached an impasse.

"Yes, Emam Ashour was one of our options in the summer market. We held serious discussions with Al Ahly but we did not succeed in reaching an agreement" Yonet stated.

With Al Ahly firm on retaining their key midfielder, Konyaspor have decided to pivot toward alternative options to meet their manager's squad requirements before the transfer window shuts.

"Our football department continues its work and we have other targets to sign.. Our work is ongoing and we hope to bring in the players our coach desires as soon as possible so he can conduct better training sessions and matches" Yonet added.

World Cup heroics drive international interest

Ashour's market profile rose significantly following his performances for the Egypt national team at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The dynamic midfielder scored two goals during the tournament playing an instrumental role in guiding Egypt to the round of 16 before their narrow 3-2 defeat against reigning world champions Argentina.

Under contract with the Cairo giants until June 2028 and holding a market valuation of approximately €5 million, Ashour has also attracted interest from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad and La Liga side Villarreal.

Al Ahly’s refusal to sanction a move to Konyaspor underscores Ashour’s indispensable role in the Cairo club's tactical setup. Coming off an impressive World Cup showing, Ashour is at the peak of his career and Al Ahly are unwilling to let him depart unless presented with a substantial offer from a major European or Gulf league.

For Konyaspor, competing against Al Ahly’s financial stability and high transfer demands proved unrealistic, forcing them to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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Al Ahly SC

Konyaspor