Ekitike to Man United? Solanke to Spurs? Africa's transfer deadline day

Ed Dove, a writer contributing to ESPN, posted an article on February 1st, 2024 at 10:04 AM.

The January transfer window has been very slow this year, not just for African players but for football as a whole. Instead of taking a risk and trying to improve their teams, most clubs have chosen to stick with their current players and squad. This lack of movement could affect their performance later in the season.

Even though deadline day for transfers is on Thursday, there is still a chance that many African players could switch teams. Some of them are rumored to be looking for a new club, while others truly need a fresh start before the window closes.

Hugo Ekitike, a talented football player from Franco-Cameroonian background, has caught the attention of various renowned clubs during the transfer window. He is expected to make a significant move on the deadline day.

A football player who is 21 years old recently joined PSG from Stade de Reims, where he was able to score 10 goals in 24 games during the 21-22 season. However, he had a difficult time repeating that performance while on loan in Paris last season and only managed to score three goals. This season, he has been left out of consideration almost entirely.

The young player has only played once so far, so he needs to kick-start his career. Both Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg have attempted to acquire him on loan during the transfer window.

Although the first mentioned team is currently the favorite, there is still a chance that Manchester United will show interest in Ekitike. The three players Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford, and Anthony Martial all had some difficulties in the year 2023 when it came to their performance. This could be an opportunity for Erik ten Hag to consider bringing in Ekitike, who is a promising forward, to strengthen their offensive capabilities.

Definitely, Ekitike requires a chance to return to the pitch after being excluded from PSG's Champions League roster. However, the question remains whether this chance will arise in the Premier League or at another location.

Saïd Benrahma, a soccer player from Africa, seems to be on the verge of leaving the Premier League. He is expected to finalize his loan transfer to Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday.

Although he was not chosen to play for Les Fennecs in the Africa Cup of Nations, the Algerian footballer seems set to join OL on a loan agreement that will require a purchase, as West Ham United agreed to an offer on Wednesday.

Afterwards, the twenty-eight-year-old player will be transferred to Lyon for a limited period until the end of the season. After that, the French Ligue 1 giants will pay a considerable amount of £15 million to keep him permanently. Although he has shown some brilliant moments, Benrahma has found it difficult to maintain the same level of performance that he showcased during his time with Brentford in the Championship.

There have been some great memories, especially when he scored an amazing goal against his old team during a friendly game in 2021. Another notable moment was when he scored a penalty to help secure the win in last year's Europa Conference final against Fiorentina. However, these highlights have been infrequent and not happening often enough.

During this season, Benrahma has assisted one goal and hasn't scored any in 13 games in the Premier League. In the previous season of 2019-2020, he scored 17 goals for the Bees. Lyon team needs Benrahma to become inspired again as soon as possible as they are only one point ahead of the relegation zone.

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The section about Cornet transferring to Crystal Palace could be paraphrased like this: There has been news about Cornet joining Crystal Palace. Reportedly, negotiations are in progress between both parties. Cornet's football career has been promising so far, having played for Lyon and even participating in international competitions. If the transfer takes place, it would mean a new challenge for the player, who would join an English league known for its competitiveness. Fans of Crystal Palace are excited about the possibility of having Cornet in their team, hoping that he can boost their performance and contribute to achieving better results.

There is speculation that Ivorian player Maxwel Cornet may leave the London Stadium. He joined the team from Lyon, where he performed exceptionally well during their Champions League campaign in 2020. However, he has not been able to establish himself on the team under the leadership of David Moyes.

According to The Telegraph, Crystal Palace is considering a last-minute loan deal for a 27-year-old player. Furthermore, the team might be cautious about any last-minute transfer decisions regarding Michael Olise.

Osman has joined West Ham United.

Despite having players like Benrahma and Cornet on their team, West Ham doesn't seem to have enough offensive power from the wings. This is why the Hammers are looking into potentially signing Ibrahim Osman from FC Nordsjaelland.

During this transfer window, there have been discussions between two clubs regarding a talented young footballer from Ghana. The West Ham team had hopes of finalizing the deal before the deadline, but negotiations have been taking longer than expected.

According to The Evening Standard, the cost is causing a problem between Nordsjaelland and West Ham. Nordsjaelland is not satisfied with the £16 million evaluation offered by West Ham. Whether any advancement will be made before Thursday is still uncertain.

In case the Irons decide to search for other options, there's a chance that Crystal Palace or Brighton & Hove Albion could consider acquiring the services of the Right to Dream Academy alumni.

There is no doubt that Dominic Solanke has attracted a lot of attention in the current transfer window. For a long time, he did not fulfil his promise from his youth. However, this season, his qualities have come to the fore, scoring 12 goals in 20 games for Bournemouth as they have really found their form under Andoni Iraola.

This has sparked attention from the upper level of football management, with Tottenham Hotspur being specifically connected to potential interest in the former Liverpool player valued at £50 million. West Ham and Newcastle have also been mentioned as possible interested parties.

Having a conversation with the press on Wednesday, Iraola confidently stated that his valued striker won't be leaving. He mentioned, "I don't have any idea regarding this matter. I haven't received any updates about it," speaking of the gossip.

"I mentioned this to you during the summer - I have zero expectations for anything to transpire, particularly when it comes to Dom."

Pape Gueye is set to move to the Premier League.

To put it simply, Pape Gueye has faced a lot of challenges since leaving Watford to join Marseille last year. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made a decision that both Gueye and Marseille must pay Watford £2.3 million as they violated their contract by canceling the transfer to Hertfordshire and opting to join OM instead.

Afterwards, he was prohibited from playing for some time, was also sent on loan to Sevilla, and achieved success with Senegal by winning the Nations Cup in 2022 - indicating a difficult time in his professional life. Presently, Gueye is facing a disagreement with OM as he declined to sign a new contract with the club, even though his current contract expires at the end of the season.

Marseille has tried to sell the player before the end of the season so they don't lose him for nothing. However, Gueye seems unwilling to help and make his departure happen sooner.

At a recent press conference, Pablo Longoria, the president of OM, stated that they must protect the club's interests. He also mentioned that Gueye's lack of response to the matter was a form of disrespect towards the club.

We are looking for players who are dedicated to our vision and goals. If a player's mindset is not aligned with ours, then they are not suitable to be part of our team.

The player who usually plays as a defender in the middle of the field, and was on the Senegal team that got knocked out early in the current AFCON tournament, may switch to playing for Burnley, Everton, or Wolves. Gueye's fellow national team member, Ismaïla Sarr, is also reportedly on the radar for Everton.

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There are some Chelsea players that might leave the team on deadline day, including Trevor Chalobah, Conor Gallagher, and Armando Broja. They could be heading out sometime on Thursday.

In the 2021-2022 season, the 24-year-old player had an impressive performance at Stamford Bridge, playing in 20 matches. Despite the challenges faced by Chelsea, the player still managed to feature regularly in the previous season, even though his development slowed down.

Afterwards, there have been injuries that have affected the situation. The initial reports suggested that he would be out until late September due to a problem with his hamstring, but that information turned out to be incorrect. Unfortunately, Chalobah has not appeared at all this season. Mauricio Pochettino mentioned a month ago that he would be ready to compete again in February. However, the question remains if there is still room for him as an academy graduate in West London.

The additions of Axel Disasi and Moses Caicedo among others have intensified the rivalry in both the central defense and the midfield core. It is uncertain whether Chalobah, who is in good health, can work hard to regain his position.

Rumor has it that Serie A teams Juventus, AC Milan, and AS Roma are showing interest in him. It might be beneficial for him to switch teams in order to play more regularly for the rest of the season.

Chalobah, who was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, has played for England in the U-21 category, but he can still choose to represent his native country.