Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has disclosed the roster of licensed clubs for the upcoming CAF Interclub 2024/25 S
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

List of CAF Interclub 2024/25 season licensed clubs revealed

Sierra Leone’s Bo Rangers and East End Lions are included in the list of licensed clubs for the upcoming 2024/25 CAF Interclub Season, as revealed by The Confederation of African Football (CAF).

After the recent Preliminary Draw, CAF has officially confirmed the list of clubs eligible to compete in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

CAF successfully implemented the Club Licensing System for these competitions, licensing 58 clubs for the CAF Champions League and 51 clubs for the CAF Confederation Cup.

These clubs represent 40 member associations and will take part in the competitions.

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League – List of Licensed Clubs 2024_25

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup – List of Licensed Clubs 2024_25

All clubs qualifying for CAF interclub competitions must obtain a license based on sporting merit.

Many clubs have undergone a licensing process at their national associations to compete in the 2024/25 CAF Interclub competitions. The deadline for licensing decisions and document submission was 30 June 2024.

The CAF Club Licensing process has helped resolve disputes related to overdue payments, ensuring compliance with CAF men’s club licensing regulations.

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup - List of Licensed Clubs 2024_25
TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup - List of Licensed Clubs 2024_25
Defender Willy Kambwala has signed a permanent deal with Spanish side Villarreal after almost four years with at Manchester United.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

DRC’s Willy Kambwala joins Villarreal from Manchester

Defender Willy Kambwala has signed a permanent deal with Spanish side Villarreal until 2029 after almost four years with Manchester United.

He made 10 first-team appearances since joining Manchester United in October 2020 from French Ligue 2 club Sochaux.

Despite some injuries in the 2021/22 season, he continued to impress when he played.

Kambwala’s final performance of the season came in the league match with Arsenal in May, and he was among the substitutes in the memorable Emirates FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City.

“Willy Kambwala Ndengushi (Kinshasa, 25/08/2004) is a promising right-footed central defender who is only 19 years old. The Franco-Congolese player stands out for his physical strength, his magnificent ability to win duels and his excellent aerial play.

Formed through the youth ranks of Manchester United, where he joined the academy from FC Sochaux, Kambwala has made a total of 10 appearances for the Red Devils first team this season, eight of them in the Premier League,” Villareal noted of their new acquisition.

Kambwala is eligible to represent both France and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has captained the French under-16 side.

Forward Augustine Boakye raring to go after joining Saint Etienne
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Forward Augustine Boakye raring to go after joining Saint Etienne

Ghanaian forward Augustine Boakye is determined to make his mark in the French Ligue 1 following his move to AS Saint Etienne in the current transfer window.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has penned a four-year deal with the Greens after an impressive spell at Austrian club Wolfsberger AC, where he notched 10 goals in 21 Bundesliga starts.

Boakye, a product of the West Africa Football Academy, is enthusiastic about the prospect of competing in France’s top tier.

“Joining AS Saint-Étienne to experience the French championship fills me with pride,” Boakye conveyed to the media department at Etienne.

“Ligue 1 is a league that has always captivated me, and ASSE is an illustrious club. I had the opportunity to converse with my friend, Lucas Gourna, who spoke highly of it! “I can hardly wait to explore this esteemed club from the inside and engage with its passionate fan base!”

Boakye formerly plied his trade for West Africa Football Academy in the Ghanaian Premier League, and despite his domestic success, international representation still awaits.

Brighton & Hove Albion have officially unveiled Ghana international Ibrahim Osman after he penned a five-year deal until summer 2019.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghanaian Ibrahim Osman pleased to join Premier League club

Brighton & Hove Albion have officially unveiled Ghana International Ibrahim Osman after he penned a five-year deal until summer 2019.

Osman completed his transfer to Brighton from the Danish club FC Nordsjaelland in January. He officially became a part of their first team over the weekend.

The 19-year-old has expressed his excitement about joining Albion and his journey to the Premier League, saying, “It’s a dream come true as a young guy to be in a new country, in a new team, new environment. I am happy to be here. I’m the type of player who is direct and ambitious for goals.”

Osman also reflected on his time at FC Nordsjaelland, saying, “It was really good and I had happy moments there, playing with different and amazing types of people. It was really good for me.”

Ajax reach verbal agreement to re-sign former Chelsea and Aston Villa forward Bertrand Traoré
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ajax reach verbal agreement to sign attacker Bertrand Traoré

Ajax and Bertrand Traoré reportedly agreed to a contract extension, according to De Telegraaf. The 28-year-old player, who previously played for Ajax, is said to have signed a contract with the club until the summer of 2026.

De Telegraaf also mentioned that Ajax and Traoré’s representatives will finalize the agreement over the weekend, followed by a medical examination.

Traoré, who is from Burkina Faso, is considered a valuable acquisition for Ajax, especially since the club has limited financial resources for transfers.

The attacker previously played for Ajax and was part of the team that reached the Europa League final against Manchester United in the 2016/17 season.

He scored thirteen goals and provided six assists in 39 games before moving to Olympique Lyon.

Subsequently, he played for Aston Villa, Istanbul Basaksehir, and Villarreal before being released from the latter on a free transfer last season.

Newly promoted English Championship side Portsmouth are optimistic about re-signing Norwich City winger Abu Kamara this summer.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Portsmouth still interested in signing Norwich striker Abu Kamara

Newly promoted English Championship side Portsmouth are optimistic about re-signing Norwich City winger Abu Kamara this summer.

Kamara, 20, played a crucial role in helping Portsmouth win the League One title last season.

The striker, who made 52 appearances and contributed to 21 goals, attracted interest from other clubs.

Norwich plans to include the 20-year-old in their first-team squad next season, but there are rumours linking Kamara to Belgian side Anderlecht as his contract with Norwich is nearing its end.

Despite the uncertainty, Portsmouth’s sporting director, Rich Hughes, remains positive about the potential of Kamara returning to the club.

He expressed the desire to bring Kamara back, considering the player’s success and strong connection to the club.

“We would never want to rule that out because if we could find a scenario to bring Abu back, we’d absolutely love to,” Hughes told the Portsmouth News.

“The truth is he exceeded a lot of expectations and performed to a really high-level last season, which personally puts him into a really strong position.

Emmanuel Samadia's Hartford share spoils with Charleston Battery
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Emmanuel Samadia’s Hartford share spoils with Charleston Battery

Sierra Leone International left-back Emmanual Samadia played the full throttle of the match as Hartford returned home and earned a point in a 2-2 draw with the Charleston Battery.

Samadia has made twelve appearances since joining the USL Championship side. In the match, both teams had a slow start. Hartford took control and scored first in the 20th minute. Younes Boudadi’s cross was headed by Michee Ngalina into the net, giving Hartford an early 1-0 lead.

Hartford continued to dominate and scored again before halftime. Anderson Asiedu passed to Michee Ngalina, who chipped the ball over the goalkeeper for his sixth goal of the season. Hartford led 2-0 at halftime.

The second half saw early action with yellow cards and a red card given to Renen Ribeiro, leaving Hartford with a player down. Goalkeeper Greg Monroe took Ribeiro’s place in the game.

Charleston scored in the 70th minute, cutting Hartford’s lead. The match ended in a draw after Charleston scored the equalizer in the 90th minute.

Hartford’s next game will be against the Riverhounds in Pittsburgh next Saturday at 7:00 pm.

New East End Lions Coach Mohamed Lamin aim to restore glory.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New East End Lions Coach Mohamed Kamara aims to restore glory

The newly appointed coach of East End Lions, Mohamed Lamin Kamara, has expressed his aim to bring the club back to its former glory of winning championships and consistently competing for honours.

“We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Mohamed Lamin Kamara (ML) as our new Head Coach on a two-year contract, with the option to extend for an additional year,” stated the management of the East End club.

Coach Kamara and his team will focus on helping the club as they prepare to face tough competition as they take on ASC Jaraaf from Senegal in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 CAF Confederation Cup.

The first leg will be hosted by The Killers between the 16th and 18th of August, followed by a trip to Senegal to face Association Sportive et Culturelle Jaraaf the following weekend.

Speaking about the task ahead, Kamara emphasized the immense effort needed to build trust and confidence and deliver positive results.

“My leadership is open to collaborating with all those who are dedicated to the club’s success, in order to tackle these challenges to the best of our ability,” the former Wusum boss explained. “My vision is to rejuvenate the success of East End Lions at all levels, by establishing structures and achieving the required results.”

“I believe I have the necessary experience to lead the Lions, and with freedom in technical matters and support in other areas, our collective experience will help us reach our objectives.”

Lions also announced that the coach will oversee the backroom staff, focusing on player development, winning games and trophies, and maintaining discipline among players.

The club is fully committed to providing the necessary resources to support the coach and is confident that his leadership will lead to great success for the team.

In addition, one of Sierra Leone’s most distinguished clubs revealed that Abdul Karim Bangura (Mexes) will serve as Assistant Coach 1, Abdul Rahim Sheriff (Bellamy) as Assistant Coach 2, and former player Alie Jaward as the club’s new Goalkeeper Coach.

Nigeria defender Gabriel Osho departs Luton for French side AJ Auxerre
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria defender Osho departs Luton for French side AJ Auxerre

Luton Town defender Gabriel Osho has moved to French club Auxerre after his contract at Kenilworth Road ended and will wear the number 3 shirt.

Osho played for Luton when they were promoted to the Premier League in 2022-23. He made a total of 85 appearances for Luton Town.

The 25-year-old will now play in France’s top league as Auxerre was promoted under manager Christophe Pelissier. Osho has signed a one-year deal with an option for an additional 12 months.

Born and trained in Reading, he has been a solid central defender in the Championship. He scored in the play-off semi-final and helped his team rise to the elite in 2022-2023.

Last season, he played 21 Premier League games, scoring 2 goals, and was called up to the Nigerian national team in March but couldn’t play due to injury.

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1811692916038934674

Rhulani Mokwena speaks after joining Morocco's Wydad Athletic Club
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Rhulani Mokwena speaks after joining Wydad Athletic Club

The 37-year-old Rhulani Mokwena has confidently taken on the role of the new head coach of Morocco’s football giants, Wydad Athletic Club, as they gear up for the 2024/25 season.

Mokwena made it clear that he has no intention of recruiting players from Mamelodi Sundowns to join Wydad Athletics Club, emphasizing the importance of respecting his former club and players as he embarks on his new journey.

Despite reports of a disagreement with Sporting Director Flemming Berg leading to his departure from PSL champions Sundowns, Mokwena is focused on maintaining a positive relationship with his former employers.

Having signed a three-year contract with Wydad Athletic Club, Mokwena is determined to implement an attractive brand of football while securing victories in as many matches as possible.

He is unwavering in his ambition to lead his new team to triumph in every game and competition, acknowledging the tough competition from local rivals Raja Casablanca and FAR Rabat.

Having signed a three-year contract with Wydad Athletic Club, Mokwena is determined to implement an attractive brand of football while securing victories in as many matches as possible.
Having signed a three-year contract with Wydad Athletic Club, Mokwena is determined to implement an attractive brand of football while securing victories in as many matches as possible.