The famous Egyptian footballer Mohamed Zidan announced Friday that he was finally returning to football on his social media accounts after spending more than two years away from the pitch, adding that it would be made official in the next few days.
The footballer has been absent from the scene ever since his contract was terminated with the Emirati club Bani Yas in July of 2013, following a controversial fallout.
Although Zidan didn't say which club he would be joining, he was reportedly being sought after by the Egyptian club Ismaily in late July.
The club's chairman had announced that their new coach Ahmed Hossam, nicknamed Mido, was convincing him to be part of the team in preparation for the upcoming season.
At the time, Mido confirmed that Zidan was close to joining the club and that the club was in the process of finalizing negotiations with him and figuring out how he can help the team compete for trophies, according to Ahram Online .
The player repeatedly expressed his willingness and determination to return to football on social media over the course of the last year.
He had been training at his former club Borussia Dortmund starting in late 2014 to recover from injuries he endured even before joining Bani Yas and to regain his fitness.
Zidan became a national star after he helped Egypt's national team win the African Cup of Nations in both 2008 and 2010 and scored 10 goals for the Pharaohs.
He also spent 11 years in Europe, in which he played for Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg and Mainz. However, the forward has been known for stirring controversy throughout his career.
The player reportedly had ongoing disciplinary issues while playing for the Pharaohs and was accused of faking injuries. He stopped playing for Egypt when he fell out with former coach Bob Bradley after he skipped an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Central Africa in 2012.
In addition, Zidan publicly slammed his Bani Yas coach Jozef Chovanecis and blamed him for his departure. He later sued the club for for $1 million over unpaid dues.
The UAE Football Association ruled in his favor in March, obligating Bani Yas to pay him $900,000 in salary and compensation after the club had also accused him of faking injuries.