Why Morocco’s Hamza Mendyl Dumped Arsenal for Schalke 04

Published

5 years ago

August 25, 2018

Moroccan footballer Hamza Mendyl has said difficulty getting a work permit as a Moroccan prevented him from playing for Arsenal or Newcastle.

The Moroccan-Ivorian footballer, who signed for Schalke 04 last week, said that he was in negotiations with Arsenal this summer before signing with the German football team.

Quoted by major sports outlets, the 20-year-old said that difficulty getting a work permit prevented him from joining England’s Arsenal.

ESPN also said that the footballer was denied a work permit from Arsenal.

“It is true: I was in talks Arsenal and Newcastle. But as a Moroccan citizen it’s not that easy to obtain a work permit. I would have trusted myself to play Premier League,” Mendyl said.

Mendyl has joined his fellow Moroccan Amine Harit, who also plays for both Morocco’s national team and Schalke 04.

Both Moroccans made the list of the team who participated in the 2018 World Cup.

Mendyl expressed his joy over joining the German team.

“I’m delighted to have signed for such a big club. With Domenico Tedesco, I’ve got a coach who is renowned for improving players,” the player was quoted by his club.

Mendyl also expressed his ambition to grow as a footballer, saying: “I want to keep developing and play an important role in all three campaigns for Schalke 04 this season.”

Related Topics:Arsenal Hamza Mendyl Morocco Schalke 04 Slam Reports

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Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon shatters women’s 1500m world record at Diamond League

Published

1 day ago

June 3, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Kenyan long distance runner, Faith Kipyegon Friday broke the 1500m women’s world record after clocking 3:49.11 at the third leg of the Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season held in Florence, Italy.

The two-time Olympic and two-time world champion who went into the Golden Gala as the second-fastest women’s 1500m runner of all time, took some minutes off the 3:50.37 she clocked in Monaco in August last year on her way to shattering the world record.

In the process, the 29-year-old Kipyegon bettered the previous record of of 3:50.07 set by another African, Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in Monaco in 2015.

Top British runner,
Laura Muir, settled for second position while another Briton, Imani-Lara Lansiquot was third.

Sports

Osimhen can’t help Man U win trophies— Andy Cole

Published

2 days ago

June 2, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Former Manchester United top goalscorer, Andy Cole has kicked against the club’s hunt for Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, whom he believes cannot help the English Premiership giant win a trophy.

Cole who was one of the of the most prolific strikers in the history of the English game, warned the Red Devils against splashing a mouthwatering transfer fee on the Napoli hotshot as that would not guarantee them winning the Premier League title or other diadems next season.

The English team have been in the the hunt for a new attacker to rejuvenate their strike force next season and Osimhen who ended the season as the highest goal scorer in the Italian Serie A has been repeatedly linked with a move to Old Trafford in a bid to bolster their squad for the 2023-24 season.

The Red Devils entered the fray for Osimhen who has scored 25 goals in 31 appearances in the Serie A, along with several European giants, including Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and PSG.

However, Cole who formed a devastating strike partnership with Dwight Yorke in the 90s, believes signing the Nigerian forward will not be enough to help United conquer England and Europe.

The 1999 treble-winning forward who bared his mind on Thursday night about the FA Cup final involving United and bitter rivals, Manchester City, said categorically that Osimhen was not the answer to Man U’s attacking problems.

“No, Manchester United can’t win the league next season. It frustrates me when people think that buying two more players, we can then win the league,” Cole said.

“So why are Manchester City in such a good position if all it takes is buying two players? Make it make sense. Two players, including Victor Osimhen, can’t help Manchester United compete for the league title.

“Unless Manchester City don’t buy anyone this summer and say ‘we’ll let everyone catch us up.’ Football doesn’t work like that, so I’m honest when people ask if Manchester United can compete for the league title next season, I say no.”