Moroccan international Mahmoud Bentayeb has begun reviewing offers from Gulf clubs, particularly from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, to decide on his next destination. This comes after he unilaterally terminated his contract with the Egyptian club Zamalek due to non-payment of his financial dues.

This development came at a time when Zamalek Club had issued an official statement threatening the player with disciplinary sanctions, emphasizing the enforcement of internal regulations and the possibility of escalating the matter to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) if necessary, due to Bentayeb’s unauthorized absence from training and his unilateral termination of the contract.

The Egyptian club emphasized in its statement its firm stance on the validity of its legal position, considering that the player's contract is still valid until the end of the 2028 season, and that his contractual documents are still in the possession of the club's management.

This escalation comes despite the atmosphere suggesting the possibility of reaching a resolution, especially after Mahmoud Bentayeb recently married the daughter of a member of the managing committee of Zamalek Club. This led some to believe that the issue might see a breakthrough and that the player would return to training after settling his outstanding dues, before matters took a more complicated turn.