I am not seeking money at UAE: Egypt striker Zidan

 Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan has insisted that money was not the prime motivation behind his recent move to the Emirates' Professionals League.

"When I decided to join Bani Yas, I was not thinking of money at all," the Pharaohs striker was quoted as saying by German News Agency on Wednesday.

"I was planning to join one of the Arab clubs for a long time and to make my experience in Europe available for Arab teams," he added.

Bani Yas signed Zidan on a two-year deal Monday without disclosing the financial details amid reports that he will get four million dollars.

"All rumours about the deal's value are untrue. I will do my best to lead my new team to win titles next season," explained the former Werder Bremen and Hamburger forward.   

Zidan was free to sign for any other club during the current summer transfer window as his contract with Dortmund expired last June.

The 30-year-old attacker left Bundesliga champions Dortmund in the January transfer window in search of more regular first-team football than he found when he joined Mainz on loan.

Mainz turned down the option of extending Zidan's contract until 2014 offering only to keep his services for another year, a deal for which the Egyptian player showed little appetite.

Zidan has been one of Egypt’s key players since making his international debut in a Nations Cup qualifier in 2007.

He played a pivotal role in helping the Pharaohs win the biennial tournament in 2008 and 2010 and was also part of the team’s squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, where he scored a famous goal against five-time world champions Brazil.

However, Zidan fell out favour with the management of the Egyptian national team after he opted to search for a new team and skipped preparations for the African Championship.

EGYPT NEWS