Al-Koumi told reporters that Al-Minyawi will stay in charge of the team until Ismaili’s match against Ahli on January 7th, after which he will be replaced by a foreign manager.

Ismaili officials have stepped up their search for a foreign coach to replace Mark Wotte who returned to Holland for personal reasons and took charge of RKC Waalwijk.

Ismaili’s main target, former Spanish international Jose Maria Bakero, arrived in the costal city late on Monday along with his two assistants to take a closer look at the club before starting negotiations.

Al-Koumi is set to open talks with the former Real Sociedad manager to take over the team in January.

The 43-year-old Bakero was a member of Spain’s national team in the 1990 and 1994 World Cup finals and the Barcelona team that won the European Cup in 1992.

He began his coaching career as an assistant to Luis Van Gaal at Barcelona.

Ismaili are currently in charge of the Egyptian league table on 31 points, two ahead of second placed Ahli who still have three games in hand.