Ahmed Elmohamady

Ahmed Eissa Elmohamady Abdel Fattah (أحمد المحمدي; born 9 September 1987) is an Egyptian former professional footballer who played as a right-back and captained the Egypt national football team.

He currently works for Aston Villa in the club's commercial department.

Born in Basyoun, El Gharbia, Egypt, Elmohamady started his youth career at Ghazl El-Mahalla in 2003.

He started to play for the first team in 2004 at the age of 17.

Two years later, he joined ENPPI.

Although he started his career as a striker with Ghazl El Mahalla, he played as a right-sided defender after joining ENPPI.

For a long time, Elmohamady attracted the attention of several European clubs.

However, ENPPI was reluctant to allow him to move to any of them.

He was selected by the Egyptian national team's manager, Hassan Shehata, for his first international appearance in 2007 and has gone on to win 92 caps.

In summer 2007, ENPPI turned down an offer from Hertha BSC, because the German side failed to meet the Egyptian club's financial demands.

The player refused another bid from Rapid București of Romania in 2007.

He was part of the Egyptian squads that won the 2008 and 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 25 November 2008, Elmohamady completed a five-day trial with Premier League side Blackburn Rovers following Rovers' manager Paul Ince's request.

Rovers' new manager, Sam Allardyce, sent a senior official to Egypt to initiate talks with the Egyptian club in January 2009.

However, the deal fell through as Allardyce believed it would be difficult for Elmohamady to make immediate impact.

Elmohamady impressed Sunderland manager Steve Bruce while on trial with the Premier League side in August 2009.

Elmohamady moved to Premier League club Sunderland in 2010, initially on loan from Egyptian side ENPPI.

However, on 31 January 2010, Sunderland failed to sign him.

Belgian side Club Brugge were also interested in the player and had, according to ENPPI, already made an offer.

ENPPI accepted loan bids from both West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland for Elmohamady but while West Brom's offer was larger, Elmohamady chose to go to Sunderland, after being on trial.

On 1 July 2010, Elmohamady joined Sunderland after passing medicals for a season-long loan move from ENPPI for a £500,000 fee, with an option of a permanent deal for £2 million next summer.

Elmohamady made his debut for Sunderland in their 2–2 draw with Birmingham City on 14 August 2010.

He won Man of the Match for his performances against Arsenal and Manchester City.

Due to his impressive start at Sunderland, manager Steve Bruce expressed an interest in signing Elmohamady permanently in the January transfer window.

On 11 March 2011, Sunderland announced that they had taken up the option of a £2 million transfer which was included in the loan agreement, making Elmohamady's contract a permanent one on Wearside.

On 9 June 2011, the permanent contract was officially confirmed by Sunderland, with Elmohamady signing a deal which will keep him at the Stadium of Light until 2014.

Manager Steve Bruce added, "Ahmed has done well in his first season with the club and has shown plenty of potential. We look forward to helping him grow as a player and I think there is much more to come from him."

Elmohamady started Sunderland's first league match of the 2011–12 season away to Liverpool, and provided the assist for Sebastian Larsson's debut goal as the Black Cats drew 1–1.

He scored his first goal from a header for Sunderland in a 2–2 draw against West Bromwich Albion on 1 October 2011.

Elmohamady fell out of favour following the departure of Bruce in December 2011 and made no starts under his replacement, Martin O'Neill.

At the end of the 2011–12 season, Elmohamady had made 21 appearances in all competitions.

On 30 August 2012, Elmohamady moved to Hull City of the Championship on a season-long loan deal, favouring a move which would see him reunited with former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce.

On 1 September, he made his debut for the club at the KC Stadium against Bolton Wanderers.

On 18 September 2012 he scored his first goal for the club, scoring the first of his side's goals in a 3–2 victory against Leeds United at Elland Road.

He also provided two assists during the derby at Elland Road.

On 16 January 2013, Sunderland decided to use the recall-clause.

On 31 January 2013 he returned to Hull on loan for the remainder of the 2012–13 season.

At the annual awards ceremony on 20 April 2013, at the KC Stadium, Elmohamady was voted as the Player of the Year.

He went on to make over 240 league appearances for Sunderland and Hull City before joining Aston Villa during the Summer 2017 transfer window.

He has won promotion to the Premier League from the Championship three times; twice with Hull City and once with Aston Villa.