“The football committee allows Ahmed Fathi to move to the English league after he had been unofficially approached via an agent,” Ahli’s official site stated.

“The agent confirmed that an official offer will arrive in the next few days.”

Fathi, who had an unfruitful spell at Sheffield United in 2007, was linked with a Premier League return last summer but eventually stayed put as negotiations were hardly progressing.

The 26-year-old midfielder signed a new contract with Ahli last month and the Cairo giants are likely to prefer a loan deal in order to let him go.

Even though he is a natural defensive midfielder, the versatile Fathi has been Ahli’s first-choice right-back so far this season.

He played an integral role in Egypt’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2006,2008 and 2010.