Africa’s big questions for new Premier League season

[caption id="attachment_981809" align="alignnone" width="300"] Getty Images
Image caption: Thomas Partey, Mohamed Salah, Yankuba Minteh and Pape Sarr will all be looking to make an impression or recapture their best form as the new Premier League season kicks off[/caption]

After a busy period involving the European Championship, the Copa America and the Olympics, football fans across Africa are once again turning their attention to the English Premier League.

The new season kicks off on Friday when Manchester United host Fulham at Old Trafford (19:00 GMT).

Senegal forward Iliman Ndaiye, Ghana winger Ibrahim Osman and Morocco defender Chadi Riad are among the new arrivals from the continent in the world’s most-watched league.

BBC Sport Africa takes a look at some of the big questions that will be answered over the next nine months.

How will Salah slot in to new Liverpool regime?

Mohamed Salah can make a strong claim to be the greatest African to ever grace England's top flight.

But, by the Egypt captain’s extremely high standards, last season was not his best, including a late-season slump as Liverpool’s title challenge fell flat.

Eighteen Premier League goals - five of which came from the penalty spot - was his lowest total since joining the Reds in 2017, although he did also contribute 10 assists.

Injury caused the 32-year-old to miss most of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations as well as chunks of the domestic campaign, and his frustration appeared to boil over in April when he was involved in a touchline spat with boss Jurgen Klopp.

With Klopp departed and just one year left on his contract, speculation was rife that Salah and Liverpool would part ways, with Saudi Arabia said to be the forward’s most likely destination.

Yet Salah declared that he would “fight like hell” to put things right after Liverpool ended last season trophyless.

The question now is, how will Salah fare under new boss Arne Slot?

A switch from Klopp’s high-intensity pressing style to a Dutch total football system might suit his aging legs, but there is likely to be more focus on building from the back to feed a central striker which might deny Salah the space he loves to speed into.

The Anfield side are yet to make a new signing and Salah remains their talisman, but whether Liverpool move to extend the Egyptian King’s reign beyond next May remains to be seen.

Is Minteh worth £30m?

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Yankuba Minteh was on the scoresheet for Brighton during the club's tour of Japan and has caught the eye during pre-season

One of the summer’s more surprising transfer battles involved Gambian winger Yankuba Minteh, who spent last season playing at Feyenoord under Slot.

The 20-year-old joined Newcastle from Danish side Odense in June last year for a fee reported to be around £5m, but was immediately loaned out.

After 10 goals in 27 Eredivisie appearances, Everton, Lyon and Borussia Dortmund all showed interest, but it was Brighton who stumped up £30m ($38.6m) for the “lightning quick” wideman.

“I was very happy that he went on loan to Feyenoord,” Tom Saintfiet, the man who gave Minteh his international debut aged 18, told BBC Sport Africa.

“This is a learning season on the highest level for him and if they (Brighton) support him and give him the time and let him grow, I'm sure that later on in the season he will accelerate and show his real potential.”

Accelerate seems to be the optimum word, with Saintfiet describing Minteh as an “impressive talent” with “huge speed” and a “fantastic dribble” alongside goalscoring ability.

Brighton fans will be hoping he hits the ground running as fast as possible.

How important is Partey to Arsenal?

When Arsenal spent £45m ($57.8m) on Thomas Partey in October 2020 there were high hopes he would bring power, guile and stability to their midfield.

But despite making 95 Premier League appearances across four seasons, the Ghanaian's contribution has been stop-start because of a succession of injuries.

"I'm not sure Partey is the first name on the team sheet anymore," James Cook from the Same Old Arsenal podcast told BBC Sport Africa.

"He's looking a little bit slower, not as fit as he has done in the past. And that's a real worry."

But does manager Mikel Arteta disagree?

Last season Arteta started Partey, 31, in the final five fixtures of their ultimately unsuccessful title challenge. The Gunners won all five games.

"I think Arteta was [wanting] to beef up the midfield a bit more," said Cook, who believes the club need to strengthen in that area.

"You just cannot depend on Partey to stay fit throughout the entirety of the season."

With one year left on his contract, if he can help Arsenal win a first title in 21 years then it will be a fine way to say goodbye.

Is this Sarr’s season to shine?

As Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou got his feet under the table last season it became clear that Senegal midfielder Pape Sarr was a vital part of the team’s engine room.

Despite injury and a mid-season break for Afcon, the 21-year-old racked up 27 Premier League starts in 2023-24.

So can Sarr, considered one of his country's greatest talents of his generation, step up and help Spurs dominate games?

“When he decided to join Tottenham, many were sceptical about his physique and the demands of the Premier League," BBC Afrique’s Babacar Ndaiye Faye said.

"But his first season under Postecoglou ended up reassuring everyone. He should have more confidence in his offensive qualities and especially exploit his great quality of strike.

“If Sarr can find confidence, Spurs will have a magnificent player.”

A regular for the Teranga Lions, it will be interesting to see how loudly Sarr roars for the north Londoners.

Who can help the new boys stay up?

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi, Southampton's Joe Aribo and Sam Morsy of Ipswich will all be aiming to help their teams avoid relegation

Last season was only the second time since the Premier League began in 1992 that all three newly promoted teams went straight back down again.

Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton will be hoping to succeed where Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United all failed.

Leicester are most reliant on the African influence within their squad, and the Foxes will be delighted to have tied experienced Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi to a new contract.

Zambia star Patson Daka and Ghana forward Abdul Fatawu were regulars in attack last season but only managed a combined 13 Championship goals between them.

Ipswich, back in the top flight after a 22-year absence, will be captained by combative Egypt midfielder Sam Morsy, while DR Congo defender Axel Tuanzebe is also part of their squad.

Southampton’s African talents operate at the other end of the pitch, with Nigerian attacking midfielder Joe Aribo the most likely to feature.

Saints boss Russell Martin recently labelled Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu, who spent last season on loan at Trabzonspor, a “different beast” after a full pre-season.

However, Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana is yet to truly sparkle in his 18 months at the club and has been ruled out of their opening fixture by injury.

Source: BBC