APR’s tormentor in the African champions League Zamalek star striker Amr Zaki is set to move to premiership side Wigan Athletic. Wigan boss Steve Bruce is expected to step up his efforts to sign Egypt and El Zamalek striker over the next few weeks. Bruce flew out to Egypt on a scouting mission to see Zaki in action and the forward’s agent Mohamed Saied has claimed that the Wigan boss was suitably impressed with what he saw. Zaki scored twice for Zamalek with Bruce sat in the stands. Zamalek are believed to be demanding in the region of £5 million for the striker, but the Latics could well face competition for Zaki’s signature. The striker had threatened to leave Zamalek since his club refused to sell him to the English Premier League, local sport website filgoal.com reported. “He can’t concentrate and doesn’t want to play for Zamalek,” a source close to Zaki was quoted by the report as saying. “Amr won’t allow Zamalek to ruin a perfectly good chance for him to play in the Premier League.” Earlier, Zamalek club spokesman Alaa Mekled confirmed that the club had received an offer from an English Premiership club worth three million Euros (about 3.8 million U.S. dollars). Zamalek had turned down a three-million-Euro offer for the services of Zaki, saying that the offer was “very low” and Zaki’s presence was vital for Zamalek this season, which has begun on August 3. The offer, which Zamalek received through a player agency, is believed to be from Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers or Everton. Zaki, also a member of Egypt’s national squad that won the African Cup of Nations on home soil in February, has turned to Egypt national team coach Hassan Shehata to convince Zamalek to allow the Egyptian international to move to the English Premier League. Shehata has promised Zaki to intervene and talk to Zamalek president Mamdouh Abbas on his behalf, according to the report. Zaki, 23, was seen by the fans as the answer to their team’s weak attacking line. Ends
