BY GRACE ZIGAH
Ghanaian striker Benjamin Acheampong has broken his silence following reports that former Zamalek goalkeeper and players’ agent Nader El-Sayed has been detained for questioning over an alleged financial irregularity involving $100,000 paid by the Egyptian club to facilitate the settlement of a dispute with the Ghanaian forward.
Acheampong, a former Asante Kotoko attacker, said his legal battle with Zamalek over unpaid wages and other financial entitlements had been resolved several years ago, distancing himself from the latest controversy surrounding the reported payment.
The dispute dates back to Acheampong’s spell with the Cairo-based club between 2017 and 2018, when he pursued legal action to recover outstanding payments following his departure.
According to reports, El-Sayed received $100,000 from Zamalek to facilitate a settlement with the Ghanaian player. He reportedly signed an official receipt acknowledging the payment, but the intended settlement was allegedly not completed.
Acheampong was reportedly expected to sign a financial agreement in favour of the Egyptian club but declined to do so, choosing instead to continue pursuing his claims through the relevant football authorities.
The negotiations between the parties failed to produce the intended resolution, leading the Ghanaian forward to pursue his outstanding entitlements through FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Acheampong Says Dispute Was Settled Years Ago
Speaking to Egyptian media outlet Batolat, Acheampong explained that he had already recovered his outstanding entitlements from Zamalek through FIFA and with the assistance of his lawyer.
The striker stressed that the dispute between him and the Egyptian club had been concluded years before the latest reports concerning El-Sayed emerged.
Reacting to reports of the former goalkeeper’s detention, Acheampong said the development, if confirmed, would have consequences for the individual involved.
“If the news is indeed true, then he (Nader El-Sayed) is paying the price for his greed, selfishness and what he did,” Acheampong said.
However, the circumstances surrounding El-Sayed’s reported detention and the alleged financial irregularity have not been independently established in the information provided.
Lawyer Insists Ghanaian Forward Has No Connection to Payment
Acheampong’s lawyer, identified as Roy in the report, also criticised El-Sayed’s alleged role in the matter and maintained that his client had no involvement in how the money received from Zamalek was handled.
“Nader El-Sayed played a bad role in this matter,” the lawyer told Batolat.
He further argued that the reported payment should be returned to the Egyptian club if it had not been used for its intended purpose.
“I think Nader El-Sayed should return the amount he received from Zamalek ($100,000), and the player has no connection to what he did with the club,” Roy said.
The lawyer maintained that Acheampong had successfully recovered the money owed to him and that the dispute with Zamalek had been closed for years.
“We received all of Acheampong’s dues from Zamalek, and the case has been closed for years,” he stated.
Background to the Zamalek Dispute
Acheampong’s dispute with Zamalek emerged from his time at the Egyptian club between 2017 and 2018, when he sought to recover unpaid wages and other financial entitlements.
The matter eventually proceeded through football’s dispute-resolution system, including FIFA and CAS, as the Ghanaian forward pursued the payments he believed were owed to him.
The latest controversy has brought renewed attention to the case because of allegations surrounding the $100,000 reportedly received by El-Sayed in connection with efforts to secure a settlement.
Acheampong and his lawyer have made clear that, from their perspective, the player’s claims have already been resolved and that he should not be held responsible for the subsequent handling of the money.
