Ameed Sawafta moves to Al-Masry, Alghoul brothers to link up in Iceland
More Palestine players are on the move as the winter transfer window moves into its second week.
Another week, another glut of transfers for Palestine’s footballing stars. The main group of players are still basking in the glow of their recent success at the FIFA Arab Cup and the added notoriety has yielded several moves.
The latest player to seal a move to a bigger club is Ameed Sawafta who will depart Jordan and Al-Salt for Al-Masry and the Egyptian Premier League.
Al-Masry have long trusted Palestinian talent having signed the likes of Mahmoud Wadi, Mohammed Saleh, Yaser Hamed, and Mohammed Balah over the last decade.
Ameed Sawafta is no stranger to experiences abroad. He spent one year in Iraq before returning to the WBPL in 2023. The Gaza genocide and ensuing stoppage of all sporting activity in Palestine saw him play for Al-Salt in 2023/24 before agreeing a move to Al-Ittihad in the Libyan league.
The move to Libya did not generate the requisite amount of playing time and the player departed to Al-Waab in Qatar’s second division. The 25-year old played a key role in their turnaround in the second half of the season and led to a second stint with Al-Salt this season.
The Tubas native became one of the revelations of the first half of the season scoring once and providing four assists in nine league appearances.
That run of form caught the eye of the new coaching staff who had worked with him at U23 level. Sawafta took his chance and forced his way into the starting lineup. The highlight of his Arab Cup campaign came when he contributed an assist for Oday Dabbagh’s equalizer.
Sawafta’s contract with Al-Masry will run through the end of the 2029 season.
Alghoul Brothers rekindle partnership
Muhamed Alghoul was the top player in the Icelandic second tier and helped mastermind’s Keflavik’s return to the topflight thanks to 17 goal involvements on the season.
This year he will be joined by his brother Halid who could be on the receiving end of his passes on the left wing. The younger Alghoul, 23, was plying his trade with NK Jarun for the past three seasons. He departs on a free transfer after contributing 19 goal involvements in 63 league appearances with the club.
The Alghoul brothers played together for half a season in 2023/24, coincidentally it was Halid’s best season with the club which saw him record eight goals and register three assists.
The details of the transfer and length of contract were not made immediately available by Keflavik.