Juan Bezerra Leaves Zamalek for Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai

Juan Alvina Bezerra’s stay at Zamalek is over almost as quickly as it began. One season, 44 matches, a league title – and now a ticket to Dubai.

Zamalek’s board, headed by Hussein Labib, confirmed on Saturday that a final agreement has been reached for the Brazilian’s transfer to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in the UAE, bringing an abrupt end to his spell inside the “White Castle”.

The split has been brewing for weeks.

Bezerra skipped Zamalek’s pre-season preparations and stayed away from early matches, making it clear he wanted out during the current summer transfer window. That stance pushed him to the fringes just as the new campaign was starting, turning a promising first year into a tense stand-off.

He returned to Cairo last Saturday, ending his absence from training but not his desire to move. The message remained the same: he wanted a new challenge. Negotiations with Shabab Al-Ahli accelerated, and by the end of the week the deal was effectively done.

Zamalek had already granted him permission to travel to the UAE to undergo his medical, a clear sign the club were ready to close this chapter. The final confirmation came in an official statement from the White Knights.

“The board of Zamalek, chaired by Hussein Labib, announces that an agreement has been reached regarding the transfer of Brazilian Juan Bezerra to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai of the UAE, after the requirements set by Zamalek at the start of the negotiations in the summer transfer window this year were met,” the club declared.

On the pitch, Bezerra’s numbers tell the story of a player who made an impact in a compressed window of time.

He featured in 44 games across all competitions last season, scoring 8 goals and supplying 12 assists. At his best, he drove Zamalek’s attacks, stitching moves together and delivering in key moments as the club pushed through multiple competitions.

His contribution helped Zamalek to the Egyptian Premier League title, his first trophy in the famous White shirt – and now his last.

Then it ended on his terms. One strong campaign, then a firm request to leave. Zamalek, satisfied that their conditions were met, chose to cash out rather than drag the saga on.

Shabab Al-Ahli, for their part, added a touch of theatre to the announcement. From their official account came a teasing line: “They searched for the date of the announcement.. Dubai is the destination”.

For Bezerra, the destination is clear. The question now is what Zamalek do with the space – and the responsibility – he leaves behind.