Former Ismaili striker Khaled Ali (Bebo)’s future in the club still appears undecided after club president Abdel-Monaem Emara played down rumours that hinted they signed the player, while board member Yehia Al-Komi insisted they did.

“The club didn’t sign any new players except Samuel Johnson. There are rules and steps that have to be followed in this club. Any new player has to be considered by the coaching staff before deciding on signing or refusing the player, and this hasn’t happened with Bebo” Emara told Filgoal.com.

Bebo has the liberty of moving to any interested club after terminating his contract with Port Said-based Masri club, and was about to make a move to Bahraini side Al-Rifaa but retracted at the 11th hour after refusing to be subject to an assessment period.

On another hand, Al-Komi insisted that the club succeeded in signing the player on a six-months contract after returning from Bahrain and said that Bebo will join his new teammates in the team training on Saturday.

The Ismaili board member also insisted that signing Bebo comes in line with his general policy for straightening up the club and said that he started it by bringing back German coach Theo Bucker and signing Samuel Johnson.

Al-Koumi concluded by saying that Bucker insisted that Bebo was one of the best strikers in Egypt and that he will be a powerful addition to the team, especially since he was only 28 years old.

Ismaili come in seventh place in the Egyptian league standings with a tally of 16 points, with only one postponed match left against leaders Ahli.