Omar Khedr

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Omar Khedr
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-05-25) 25 May 2006 (age 17)
Place of birth Alexandria, Egypt
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
ZED
Youth career
Embercap Club
2015–2021 Zamalek
2022– ZED
International career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Egypt U20

Omar Khedr (Arabic: عمر خضر; born 25 May 2006) is an Egyptian footballer who plays as a winger for ZED. He will join English Premier League side Aston Villa on 1 July 2024.

Club career[edit]

Born in the Alexandria Governorate, Khedr began his career with the academy of Embercap Club, before going on to trial with Haras El Hodoud at the age of nine.[1] He impressed at the trial, catching the attention of Egyptian Premier League side Zamalek, whom he would go on to join.[1][2] He would travel to Cairo from Alexandria after school to train with the club, before eventually moving to the city.[2] In January 2022 he completed a transfer to Egyptian Second Division side ZED, with the clubs agreeing on a compensation fee of roughly £100,000.[2]

In January 2023, Khedr, alongside teammates Mohamed Negm and Marwan Mahmoud, went on trial with Portuguese side Vitória de Guimarães, with Khedr scoring in a 2–2 friendly game against the youth team of Vitória.[3] Later in the same year, he was named as the best player in a youth tournament, where he played against English side Aston Villa, part of the tripartite partnership between themselves, ZED and Vitória de Guimarães, and he went on to trial with the Birmingham-based side.[4]

Despite reports in Portugal stating that he was set to join Vitória de Guimarães, in June 2023 head of ZED youth sector, Alaa Nabil, stated that he would instead be joining Aston Villa.[1] On 14 August 2023, Aston Villa confirmed that Khedr would join them on 1 July 2024, after turning eighteen.[5] Seif Zaher, CEO of ZED club claimed that Khedr's former club, Zamalek, would receive a fee for the deal.[6]

International career[edit]

Khedr has represented Egypt at under-17 level.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c ""عمر خضر" راح أستون فيلا الإنجليزي: الزمالك سابه بـ 4 مليون" [“Omar Khadr” went to the English Aston Villa: Zamalek left him with 4 million]. elbashayer.com (in Arabic). 2 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "المعجزة المصرية.. قصة عمر خضر ناشئ الزمالك الذي اقترب من الانتقال لـ فيتوريا جيماريش" [The Egyptian miracle.. The story of Omar Khadr, a youngster from Zamalek, who was close to moving to Vitoria Guimaraes]. koraplus.com (in Arabic). 11 April 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  3. ^ "نادي "زد" يسوق لاعبيه في البرتغال" [Club “Z” markets its players in Portugal]. tatweeg.news (in Arabic). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  4. ^ Casaca, Manuel (11 April 2023). "Prodígio egípcio a caminho do V. Guimarães" [Egyptian prodigy on the way to V. Guimarães]. ojogo.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Villa sign Egyptian talent Khedr". avfc.co.uk. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  6. ^ "سيف زاهر يكشف حصول الزمالك على أموال من صفقة انتقال عمر خضر لـ أستون فيلا" [Saif Zaher reveals that Zamalek got money from Omar Khadr’s transfer to Aston Villa]. almasryalyoum.com (in Arabic). 27 June 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  7. ^ Chapman, Joseph (14 August 2023). "Aston Villa complete fourth transfer of summer window as winger signs long-term deal". birminghammail.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2023.