Egypt defender Ali Gabr has joined Premier League side West Bromwich Albion on loan from Zamalek SC till the end of the season.
The deal is reportedly worth $500,000 with an option of making it permanent for $1.2m thereafter.
Ali, 29, links up with his national team defense partner Ahmed Hegazi, who joined The Hawthorns in the summer in a similar move.
“I’m here to help the team and do my job. I’m very happy and excited to be here,” Gabr said after signing.
His recruitment is a direct result of the trail which led Albion to his great friend Ahmed in the summer.
Ali and Hegazi were pivotal in the Pharaohs impressive run in the 2017 Gabon Afcon where they finished runners-up to Cameroon.
They are expected to do duty at the Russia World Cup.
“He’s a player that we first identified at the African Cup of Nations where he played alongside Ahmed,” West Brom’s Technical Director Nick Hammond said.
