Barakat received offers from Saudi club Al-Hilal, former Asian champions Al-Ain of UAE and Greek giants Panithanikos, he told Filgoal.com on Thursday.

The mercurial winger said he turned down all the offers and refused to talk to any of the club representatives because he wanted to concentrate on the African Cup, which Egypt won on home soil earlier this month.

"The African title is the biggest achievement of career, being the first for me with the national team," the 2005 BBC African Footballer of the Year said.

The 29-year-old international said the African Cup helped him hit back at all critics that claimed he was nothing more than a "local" player.