Zamalek seeks Egyptian citizenship for Nigerian player Yussuf

Egyptian giants Zamalek will try to get Nigerian player Maarouf Yussuf Egyptian citizenship to allow him to stay with the team as they have reached the maximum number of foreign players allowed in their squad, capped at four.

According to a statement on the club’s website on Sunday, Zamalek chairman Mortada Mansour is examining the possibility of starting procedures for Egyptian nationality in Yussuf's case.

The 25-year-old midfielder has been playing with Zamalek since 2014. However, he has been in Egypt since 2011, playing for Ittihad El-Shorta whom he joined from his boyhood club Kwara United.

Zamalek already have four foreign players in the squad: Hamdi Nagguez of Tunisia, Kabongo Kasongo of DR Congo, Hamid Ahadad of Morocco, along with Yussuf. However, the Whites may need to offload Yussuf as they are in advanced talks to sign Tunisia midfielder Ferjani Sassi.

Earlier in July, the Egyptian House of Representatives approved amendments to the law on citizenship allowing foreigners who have bank deposits of at least EGP 7 million for five years in Egypt to be granted Egyptian citizenship.