"Kone told me that he's keen to join Zamalek as he has been egging on them since he was a little kid," Yahia told Al-Hayat TV.

The military side's boss said he gave the 27-year-old the green light to leave, and also let him decide his destination.

"He told me that when he was a kid, he used to collect balls during matches," Yahia explained. "He has been very fond of Zamalek since watching one of their games against ASEC Mimosas.

"Now he wants to join his favorite team."

Zamalek board member Hazem Emam will sit down with Production's officials in the immediate future to make a bid for Kone.

FilGoal.com has learnt that Zamalek offered to pay $300 thousand on three installments in a part-exchange deal that will see Kone join the White Knights, and an unnamed Zamalek player move in the opposite direction.