Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt's Mohamed Salah becomes Premier League sixth all-time top scorer
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah into Premier League top six all-time top scorers

Egypt and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been a key player in Premier League history and continues to rise in all-time goals rankings.

He scored two goals, making him the sixth-highest scorer in Premier League history and helping Liverpool maintain a nine-point lead at the top of the table.

Salah scored the first goal from a penalty at Bournemouth and added another goal 15 minutes before the end of the match, securing three points for his team.

Salah is one of only five players in Premier League history to score 20 or more league goals in five or more seasons. He joins well-known players like Alan Shearer, Sergio Agüero, Harry Kane, and Thierry Henry.

He also surpassed Frank Lampard to become the sixth-highest goalscorer in the league’s history.

In a season where Arne Slot hopes to win league honours, he may owe some of that success to Salah.

Sierra Leone winger Augustus Kargbo pens Blackburn Rovers deal
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone winger Augustus Kargbo pens Blackburn Rovers deal

Blackburn Rovers have signed Sierra Leone international Augustus Kargbo on a permanent deal until 2027. The 25-year-old forward joins from Cesena on a two-and-a-half-year contract, with details of the transfer fee undisclosed.

Kargbo, who is Rovers’ third signing of the January transfer window, started his professional career at Campobasso and later moved to Crotone in Serie B. After a successful loan at Reggiana, where he scored 11 goals and helped the team gain promotion, he made his Serie A debut with Crotone.

Kargbo scored three goals in 18 appearances for the Serie B side this season – all coming in the opening nine games of the season.

In August 2023, Kargbo joined Cesena and had a standout season, scoring nine goals in 31 appearances, helping the club win the Serie C title. He has also found the net for the Sierra Leone national team, with five goals in 21 caps.

The transfer is pending approval from football authorities, and he will be available for selection once international clearance and visa requirements are met.

Sierra Leone native Amara Nallo sent off in defeat to PSV
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone native Amara Nallo sent off in Liverpool’s defeat to PSV

Liverpool teenager Amara Nallo was sent off just four minutes into his Champions League and Liverpool debut, as his team lost 3-2 to PSV on Wednesday. At 18 years and 72 days old, he became the youngest player to receive a red card for Liverpool, breaking Michael Owen’s record.

Since Liverpool had already qualified for the Champions League round 16, manager Arne Slot used a young squad. Nallo came on as a substitute in the 83rd minute. Shortly after, he fouled PSV’s Johan Bakayoko, and the referee ruled it denied a clear goalscoring chance, leading to the red card.

PSV took the lead with a penalty from Cody Gakpo in the 28th minute. Bakayoko equalized, but Harvey Elliott quickly scored for Liverpool. PSV then scored two more goals before halftime.

Despite the defeat, Liverpool finished top of their group with 21 points from eight matches. They will move directly to the round of 16 in March, facing either PSG, Benfica, AS Monaco, or Brest, but Nallo will miss the first leg due to suspension.

Centre-back Amara Nallo joined Liverpool from West Ham United in September 2023. An England U19 international, Nallo is now a regular for the Reds’ U21s after impressing with the U18s initially.

Issa Kallon confirms move to Chinese Super League side Chengdu Rongcheng
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Issa Kallon confirms move to Chinese Super League side Chengdu Rongcheng

Chinese Super League last season’s third-place side, Chengdu Rongcheng, set to announce the signing of Sierra Leone winger Issa Kallon.

The player has confirmed that they have reached an agreement for a two-year contract with Chengdu Rongcheng.

Issa Kallon, 29, who joined Shanghai Port from Dutch side Cambuur in 2022, has been handed a new chapter in his career after leaving Nantong Zhiyun.

The Sierra Leone International recorded seven goals and eight assists in 45 appearances for Shanghai Port when they won the title before moving to join Nantong Zhiyun in 2024, scoring five goals & two assists in 22 matches

He scored on his debut for Nantong Zhiyun in the Chinese Super League opening game of the 2024/2025 season. Nantong Zhiyun played away from Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw in March last year.

He equalizer for Nantong Zhiyun in the 67th minute. He received a pass and slotted the ball at the bottom right of the net.

Kallon had joined Nantong Zhiyun after winning the title of last season with Shanghai Port. 

He started his football career as a youth exponent from FC Utrecht and made his Eredivisie debut on 24th August 2014 in a 1-2 away win against Feyenoord on 24 August 2014 in a 1–2 away win against Feyenoord.

Cesena's asking price €1.2m for Augustus Kargbo to Blackburn
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cesena’s asking price €1.2m for Augustus Kargbo to Blackburn

Blackburn Rovers must increase their offer to get more chance of signing Sierra Leone striker Augustus Kargbo from Italian Serie B side Cesena. Il Resto del Carlino reported that Blackburn is a strong option for Kargbo, with talks happening between the clubs.

However, Blackburn is under pressure to improve their initial offer. Cesena wants €1.2 million for Kargbo, but Blackburn’s first offer is lower. There is concern that Kargbo might stay with Cesena until the end of the season.

It seems that Cesena will not accept a lower fee, so Blackburn needs to raise their offer. At the same time, Cesena has backed off from looking for a replacement player, Flavio Russo from Sassuolo.

A deal for Udinese’s Damian Pizarro is also considered unlikely, which suggests Kargbo may remain with the club.

Blackburn must act quickly if they still wish to sign Kargbo. On August 26, 2023, Kargbo signed a three-year contract with Cesena.