EA Sports has released its updated player ratings for the top African footballers ahead of the 2024/25 season. Among the standout names, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen (Napoli), and Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli) have all been recognized for their exceptional abilities.

Salah leads the pack with a rating of 89, maintaining his status as one of the best African footballers. Osimhen, coming off a stellar season, has earned an impressive 88 rating. Mahrez follows with an 86 rating.

The list also includes other highly-rated African talents, such as Senegal’s Sadio Mane (86) and André Onana of Cameroon (Manchester United, 85). In total, players from leading African nations such as Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal dominate the rankings, reflecting their strength in world football.

These ratings highlight the contributions of African stars who continue to make their mark on the global stage.

Here’s a sneak peek at the top 20 highest-rated African players in EA Sports:

1. Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – 89

2. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) – 88

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Superstar forward Neymar has joined Saudi Pro League team Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain, it has been revealed.

According to sources, the Saudi Arabian club spent €90 million (£77.6 million) for the services of the 31-year-old, ending his six-year tenure at PSG. In 2017, the Ligue 1 club paid £190 million to acquire Neymar, making him the most expensive player in football history.

The Brazilian played for six seasons with the club, winning five Ligue 1 championships, but he also endured a succession of muscle problems that prevented him from playing more than 22 league games in any of those seasons.

Speaking to PSG’s official website, club chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: “It is inevitably difficult to say goodbye to a legend of the Club, which Neymar will be forever. I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain, nor what he brought to our club and our project over the past six years.

“We have lived extraordinary moments and Neymar will always be part of our history. I would like to thank him and his family. We wish Neymar the best for the future and his next adventure.”

Neymar has put pen to paper on a two-year deal in Saudi Arabia and has picked the number 10 jersey to wear at Al Hilal.

As long as PSG and Al Hilal can agree on a price, midfielder Marco Verratti might reunite with Neymar in the Middle East. Talks over Verratti are still ongoing.

Al Hilal has been very active so far this summer in the transfer market, signing players like Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and Malcom.

🎬 “O talento maravilhoso… que atrai a atenção de todos” @neymarjr 💙#نيمار_هلالي #الهلال pic.twitter.com/TTzADrVGJJ

— نادي الهلال السعودي (@Alhilal_FC) August 15, 2023

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On Monday, Pochettino made his first visit to the team’s training facility in Cobham and immediately started to win over supporters by proclaiming that the Blues had been England’s best team for the previous ten years.

The Argentine has a challenging task ahead of him after Chelsea’s lowest Premier League finish since the 1993–1994 season—12th—last season.

In preparation for a season without European competition, their team is undergoing major surgery. N’Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mateo Kovacic, and Kai Havertz have all already departed, and Mason Mount is on the verge of leaving as well.

There aren’t many obvious prospects to succeed club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, who is anticipated to join Atletico Madrid, but Pochettino has urged his team to take charge and act as leaders.

“We need leaders, not followers, in every single area and we will push every person to bring their best and give their best for the club,” Pochettino said.

He added: “If we are all together, we are going to be very strong. We have an unbelievable squad and for sure are going to bring players with commitment who want to be part of it also. With the fans and everyone, we can find again the way to be successful.”

Because Azpilicueta’s transfer hasn’t been finalized, Chelsea hasn’t decided who would serve as captain, but it’s likely that vice-captain Thiago Silva will do so.

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Chelsea have confirmed goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has officially left the club in order to join Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.

Under previous manager Thomas Tuchel, Senegal was the Blues’ primary goalkeeper and was vital to their successful Champions League run in 2020–21, allowing only twice in seven games.

The 31-year-old Senegal international is the newest player to leave Stamford Bridge during the Premier League club’s ongoing summer of change.

After Kalidou Koulibaly and N’Golo Kante left for teams in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, respectively, he is the third player to leave Chelsea for a side in the Saudi Pro League.

A statement from Chelsea said: “Edouard Mendy has left Chelsea after three seasons and completed a permanent transfer to Saudi Professional League side Al-Ahli.
“The 31-year-old will be best remembered at Stamford Bridge for the key role he played on our run to Champions League glory in 2021.
“Having started his career in the lower tiers of French football – and even spending several months without a club – Mendy rose to the pinnacle of European football with Chelsea.
“A hugely likeable character on and off the pitch, he will always have a place in our history for his significant contributions to our 2021 Champions League triumph.
“For that, and for everything else, we are grateful. Good luck, Edou! “

Edou Mendy has left Chelsea and joined Al-Ahli FC. ✍️

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2023

Mendy initially joined the Blues in 2020, moving from Rennes, and helped the team win the Champions League that year while compiling a club-record nine clean sheets.

In addition to playing a key role in his nation’s triumphant AFCON title win that year, this resulted in him earning the 2021 Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Award.

However, following a slump in form and a flurry of management changes at Chelsea, Mendy fell out of favor, with Kepa Arrizabalaga chosen.

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Kalidou Koulibaly has explained the reasoning behind his decision to quit Chelsea after only one season to join Al-Hilal.

The dominating Senegalese centre-half has joined the flight from Europe to the Middle East, heading to Saudi Arabia for £20 million ($25 million). He will be working on a lucrative deal at Al-Hilal and feels that he has chosen the greatest option for himself and his family.

 Koulibaly has told Corriere dello Sport: “I am happy with my decisions for many reasons. I am Muslin and I land in the right country. I am happy to play in a league that is evolving and I hope I can help Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal write history in sports and this contract is really important.

I can help my family live well, my parents and cousins, and sustain the social activities of my NGO in Senegal: Capitane du Coeur. We started with constructing a paediatric clinic in the village where my parents were born and married. It’s called Ngano.”

When Koulibaly left Napoli for Chelsea in 2022, he was considered one of the best defenders in the world, but he only made 32 appearances with the Blues.

He claims to have no regrets and added on his time in England: “I had no guarantees to get regular playing time [at Chelsea], I was always professional but I don’t like to sit on the bench doing nothing. I prefer a place where I am wanted and at the centre of the project and can be an example for young players. The Premier League is fantastic and there are great players.

They expected the Koulibaly of Napoli, but I think my season was not so bad. I needed time and in one year I couldn’t prove what I wanted because of the coach’s and club’s choices. I am happy with what I learned about my limits, my family and my kids. My time had come and I had to make a decision. My team-mates sent me so many messages, they are all sorry, but I have to prepare for the Afcon. It’s the most important thing for me, Senegal want to win again, but it won’t be easy.”

Koulibaly is the squad captain for Senegal, who won the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations and will begin defending their title in January 2024.

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Ziyech and Koulibaly are just two of the players that are available for transfer as Chelsea looks to raise cash this summer in order to pay off debt from the previous two spending sprees and fund more projects for this year.

When Blues co-owner Todd Boehly recently travelled to Saudi Arabia for discussions with a number of football officials, one of the subjects of discussion was the availability of Chelsea’s peripheral players.

Ziyech will be the first Chelsea player to travel to the Middle East this summer, according to sources who spoke with 90min after the Saudi leadership pushed swiftly in this direction.

Ziyech has reached an agreement on a three-year contract to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, and he will soon get a medical before signing the contract.

Regarding Koulibaly, negotiations for a transfer to Al-Hilal are continuing. The former Napoli centre-back has declined a permanent deal to Saudi Arabia in favour of returning on loan to Serie A.

A three-year contract through 2026 is also on the table for the 31-year-old, and a deal regarding personal terms is almost ready to be finalized.

The representatives of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are still being talked to by Saudi officials in other locations. Neither player has an agreement in place just yet, but according to sources close to Chelsea, the Blues are certain that both will go for Saudi Arabia.

Callum Hudson-Odoi has also been considered, although he is not currently interested in moving to the Middle East. Romelu Lukaku has been targeted but is eager to stay in Europe.

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Chelsea interim manager Frank Lampard revealed that centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly will be out for ‘weeks, not days’ after suffering a muscle injury against Real Madrid.

Against Los Blancos, the seasoned defender executed a superb recovery challenge but immediately collapsed to the ground in pain and had to be hauled off.

Koulibaly will now be sidelined from this weekend’s match against Brighton and the return leg against Real, according to Lampard, who even hinted that the Senegal international may be absent for a little while longer.

“He won’t be available for either game,” Lampard confirmed. “A matter of weeks rather than days.

“He’s a very good, very experienced player. People talk a lot about our squad, Champions League squad is different to Premier League and a disappointment but also an opportunity.”

Later, Lampard stated that he would rotate his team and offer playing time to those who did not participate in the match against Real. As a result, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile, the latter of whom is not a member of the European squad, may anticipate playing time at the back.

Just how Chelsea’s defence will look next season remains to be seen. Koulibaly is among those facing an uncertain future alongside Cesar Azpilicueta and Marc Cucurella, while the future of young Levi Colwill is also a pressing issue.

Colwill is at Brighton on loan, although he had a standout Premier League first season. Manchester City and Liverpool are interested in pulling the 20-year-old away from Stamford Bridge in the summer when he will enter the final two years of his contract, as exclusively revealed in March.

Chelsea, though, thinks Colwill has a future at the club and will try to sign him to a new contract. though, the club currently has a policy that any player whose contract is about to expire in the next 24 months will be subject to a sale if new terms cannot be reached.

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Chelsea Head Coach, Graham Potter has lamented Joao Felix’s sending off in his Chelsea debut, calling it ‘another blow’ for the Blues.

After Fulham had taken the lead through Willian in the first half, Chelsea had tied the score thanks to a Kalidou Koulibaly goal at the start of the second half. However, Felix was sent off, and Carlos Vinicius then scored the game-winning goal for the home team, increasing the pressure on manager Potter.

Having lost more games than they have won in the Premier League this season, the outcome places the Blues in 10th place overall.

Speaking after the game to the club’s official website, Potter discussed the Felix red card: “It was a reaction from the side and it was a forward’s tackle. There was no malice. I understand the sending off.

“It is another blow. I thought he was good, you could see his quality in the game so it’s double disappointment for us.”

The Chelsea manager also addressed the club’s recent, woeful, form, stating: “It’s tough. I feel for the supporters, players and everybody connected with the club. There were some positives there, a couple of decent chances for us.

“We will keep working, there is no other solution. We will stay together, stay focused and move on to the next match to try and get three points.”

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Kalidou Koulibaly has made the bold prediction that Chelsea can win the Premier League this season by finishing ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal.

The defender from Senegal who recently transferred to Stamford Bridge from Napoli has seen his former team become a contender for the Italian domestic championship.

Koulibaly has made 11 appearances for Chelsea so far, scoring one goal and receiving one red card for a team that is still looking for consistency.

Koulibaly is hoping to see his new employers do the same, with the 31-year-old centre-half convinced that he can “write history” in west London.

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Koulibaly has told Corriere della Sera when asked about the battle for top spot in the Premier League: “It will be Chelsea at the end of the season, I want to write history here.”

He added on an eventful start to his debut campaign in England: “I arrive with a coach who wanted me at all costs, and then he leaves. Both [Thomas] Tuchel and [Graham] Potter play with the three-man defences, I was used to a four with Napoli. It’s another string to my bow, you never stop learning. I knew I was going to have a hard time, and that’s proved true. Even [Gianfranco] Zola and [Didier] Drogba had anticipated that for me.”

After both teams have participated in midweek European activity, the table-topping Arsenal is the next domestic opponent on the schedule for Chelsea. The Gunners are scheduled to visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

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Chelsea football manager Graham Potter discusses why he took Kai Havertz and Marc Cucurella off at halftime in Chelsea’s victory.

In Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, Graham Potter claims his choice to make a double replacement at halftime was solely tactical. He was thrilled with the results of his changes.

The Blues took an early lead at Villa Park on Sunday as a woeful header from Tyrone Mings allowed Mason Mount to stroke the ball past Emi Martinez, with the midfielder doubling the score – and wrapping up all three points – with a devilish free-kick in the second half.

Despite the straightforward result, The Blues had to deal with a lot of pressure, especially in the opening period. Kepa Arrizabalaga kept his team ahead with a series of excellent saves.

Potter decided to mix things up at the half-time break, taking off Marc Cucurella and Kai Havertz and replacing them with Kalidou Koulibaly and Cesar Azpilicueta as he switched to a flat back five.

That was no slight on the performances of Cucurella and Havertz, though, with Potter feeling that the side needed to tighten up at the back and in midfield.

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Asked about the changes, Potter told ChelseaTV after the game: ‘It was more tactically.

‘I thought we had to probably be a back five, more so, and be a bit stronger in the midfield area so we just had to adjust it. Sometimes [changes] go for you, sometimes they don’t. Credit to the players, they’re all ready to fight, they’re all ready to help the team.

‘So we’re in a good moment at the moment, but we know there’s another game coming.’

Conor Gallagher and Jorginho were both brought to strengthen Chelsea’s midfield as part of Potter’s two more substitutions, which came to either side of the hour mark.

With Gallagher in particular providing energy and bite, that pair enabled the west Londoners to finish the game in a pretty calm manner, and Potter was happy to see his substitutions have an impact.

Asked how good it was to see the likes of Jorginho and Gallagher contribute, Potter replied: ‘Yeah exactly, that’s what we speak about all the time.

‘Everybody wants to start, but sometimes it’s the ones who finish [the game] who are important. As I said, we’ve got another game on Wednesday, they come thick and fast, we need everybody. I’m pleased with the way the group is responding to that challenge, we’re in a good place and it’s important that whoever comes onto the pitch is ready to help the team.’

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Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has made a decision over Chelsea’s future with the player available for free next summer. According to reports, he does not want to leave Stamford Bridge next summer.

When his contract with the London club expires in 2023, the France international will be available for free transfer.

According to reports, talks between Kante and the West Londoners regarding the length of a potential extension for the player have reportedly stalled.

The 31-year-old wants a three to four-year contract similar to the one given to new signing Kalidou Koulibaly over the summer.

But Chelsea only wants to commit to a two-year deal because they are concerned about his recent history of injuries. According to reports, Kante is content living in London and his representatives have even extended offers to Arsenal and Tottenham.

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But according to French outlet Le10 Sport, his preference would be to stay at the club. The midfielder has not played any game since the 2-2 draw with Tottenham on August 14.

However, he is nearing a return to action, but Chelsea manager Graham Potter is eager not to rush him into the team.

Ahead of last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Wolves, the 47-year-old said: “He’s doing more and more integration with the team. He’s still not ready for the weekend but getting closer.

“It is what it is, there’s nothing we can do, the injury happened and now it’s about trying to get him back fit and getting him as ready as we can so he can play for a sustained period.

“He’s been in and out with injuries over a period of time so we have to make sure that when he’s back he’s back for good and strong and enjoying his football.

“So there’s no frustration from my perspective, it’s just something we have to deal with.”

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New Chelsea head coach Graham Potter, explained why Kalidou Koulibaly and N’golo Kante haven’t played yet for him during his pre-match press conference before a pivotal UEFA Champions League match.

In his interview as Chelsea’s new manager, Graham Potter explained why Koulibaly and Ngolo Kante have not yet been given the starting approval.

Potter revealed that Ngolo Kante’s injury situation is being closely watched so that the blues won’t have to worry or express concerns over his match fitness every two to three games. He also mentioned that Kalidou Koulibaly’s injury is still being closely watched in terms of the weight aspect.

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Both players are back in the gym, and Potter praises Koulibaly’s attitude and expresses excitement about having him on the team. If both players would start for Potter’s team against AC Milan on Wednesday, October 4, 2022, neither has been confirmed nor denied.

Recall, Potter has opened up on how he chose his first-choice goalkeepers, between Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga

In his UEFA Champions League pre-match press conference held today, Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Graham Potter shared his opinions on Chelsea’s current first-choice goalkeeper.

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