Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has said that the Gunners should sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak The Gunners have been linked to signing Isak with many reports suggesting that the Newcastle striker is Arsenal’s dream target as a striker He has scored 22 goals for the Magpies in 31 Premier League games this season Isak is more likely to stay at Newcastle should they finish in a Champions League place Sagna has said that Arsenal should sign Isak rather than their other striker targets, as he is the best fit for Mikel Arteta‘s side Bacary Sagna was speaking to Paddy Power: “Alexander Isak suits Arsenal’s style of play perfectly He has a young mentality and is very clinical in front of goal Arsenal is a different team at the minute for these players They have good enough players to create the danger themselves.” “If you are performing well in one team though it doesn’t mean you’re going to perform well in another though Arsenal need to sign a striker in the summer with a purpose – like a number nine “They’ve had big injuries like Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz That was a blow and is probably why it’s been so difficult to keep the consistency offensively mainly due to the fact that he could cost upwards of £100m and that Newcastle will likely not be willing to sell the Swedish international If not, the most likely signing for Arsenal would be Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, who they have reportedly been in talks with in recent weeks Gyokeres has scored 38 goals in 30 Liga Portugal matches for Sporting this season showing himself to be one of the most prolific strikers in European football Click here to see Arsenal’s most recent injury news and expected return dates.  Dylan Oakley joined the National World Network sites in summer 2024 after spending time writing for DerbyWorld. He has since become the main Arsenal reporter for GoonerNews and also reports for LondonWorld. Support non-profit journalism and perspectives from around the world. See all those languages? The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation. a Senegalese politician and member of the parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was attacked at an opposition party conference in Togo This country is becoming increasingly intolerant of even the mildest form of public criticism L'autorité administrative compétente ne peut prononcer l'ajournement ou l'interdiction d'une réunion ou d'une manifestation publique organisée dans un lieu privé que lorsque celle-ci est susceptible de troubler l'ordre public La décision d'ajournement ou d'interdiction ne peut être prise que si l'autorité administrative compétente et les organisateurs de la réunion ou de la manifestation n'ont pas trouvé ensemble des moyens adéquats pour éviter ces éventuels troubles à l'ordre public The relevant administrative authority may only postpone or prohibit a meeting or demonstration in a private setting if it is likely to disrupt public order They may only postpone or prohibit an event if the relevant authorities and event organizers disagree in preliminary discussions on suitable actions to prevent any disruption to public order parliament will now select the next president of the Togolese Republic for a single six-year term During this conference, Guy Marius Sagna and 20 or so Togolese politicians and journalists came under attack. According to information from the Togolese civil society organization, the Collective Associations Against Impunity in Togo (CACIT): (…)des individus qui manifestement se trouvaient dans l’assemblée ont soudainement surgi et exercé une violence sanglante sur les personnes présentes. Ils auraient notamment fait usage de coups de poings, de chaises, de briques et de pavés dans cette manœuvre déplorable qui a porté atteinte à l’intégrité physique de plusieurs personnes dont les honorables Guy Marius Sagna et Brigitte Kafui Adjamagbo-Johnson (…)Individuals who were obviously at the meeting suddenly jumped out and launched a bloody attack on those present. During this appalling incident, these individuals reportedly flung punches, chairs, bricks, and stones, thus injuring several people, including Guy Marius Sagna and the CDPA Secretary General Brigitte Kafui Adjamagbo-Johnson On October 1, 2024, Radio France Internationale (RFI) quoted the Togolese national police as saying Sagna was aware of the illegal nature of this conference beforehand: La police nationale togolaise a assuré (…) travailler étroitement avec les autorités judiciaires (…) pour faire toute la lumière sur les actes qui se sont produits (…) Guy Marius Sagna avait été avisé de l'interdiction de la réunion projetée” et qu'il avait “été dûment informé des risques que comportaient ces activités (…) en violation des lois en vigueur au Togo The Togolese national police assured they were working closely with the judicial authorities to investigate this incident thoroughly Guy Marius Sagna had been duly informed of the ban on the planned conference and the risks associated with activities violating applicable laws in Togo On the night of the incident, government spokesperson and Minister of Communications Yawa Kouigan told RFI: Les circonstances déplorables dont nous parlons ne doivent pas nous amener à apporter des accusations gratuites (…) Je pense d'autant moins qu'on devrait pointer un doigt accusateur sur le Togo et sur ses autorités que la la liberté de réunion The deplorable circumstances we speak about mustn't lead us to make unfounded accusations (…) I also don’t think we should point the finger at Togo and its authorities as freedom of assembly and expression are not in question here In the hours following this attack, reactions and comments flooded social media networks. On the evening of September 29, 2024, Togolese politician Nathaniel Olympio alerted the public on X (formerly Twitter): Dans le Togo dirigé par @FEGnassingbeoù le panafricanisme est le nouveau crédo du pouvoir tenir une rencontre entre africains au siège d’un parti politique cela provoque un déferlement de miliciens violents qui dispersent la rencontre Le député sénégalais est de passage à Lomé dans le cadre d'une session délocalisée du Parlement de la CEDEAO To be continued . . . pic.twitter.com/Sx0Hvxahjg — Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) September 29, 2024 a meeting between African citizens at a political party headquarters led to a mob of violent militiamen breaking up the meeting The Senegalese politician was visiting Lomé as part of a delocalized meeting of the ECOWAS parliament — ChicVoisin🇧🇯🇨🇮 (@LeFouParolier) September 29, 2024 Another account known as Palace added: C'est complètement inacceptable ce manque de tolérance. Cette violence gratuite et lâche n'a pas sa place au Togo! Les autorités togolaises @PresidenceTg @FEGnassingbe doivent assumer leurs responsabilités en matière de sécurité des personnes et des biens — Palace (@aremsbee) September 29, 2024 This intolerance is completely unacceptable. This senseless and cowardly violence has no place in Togo! The Togolese authorities @PresidenceTg @FEGnassingbe must assume responsibility for the people’s safety In an interview with Radio France Internationale the spokesperson for the civil society coalition Front Citoyen Togo Debout (Togo Citizens Stand Up) C'est une espèce de sentiment de honte qu'un étranger un frère sénégalais puisse subir autant de violences Cela démontre qu'une fois encore au Togo la violence est instrumentalisée par le pouvoir pour empêcher les gens de se réunir et pour empêcher les gens de s'exprimer should suffer such violence instills a sense of shame in Togo This attack is yet another example of the powers that be using violence to prevent people from holding meetings and being heard What’s more, the ECOWAS parliament also  condemned this incident that one of its members suffered in Lomé on September 29: Le Parlement de la CEDEAO rassure l’opinion qu’il suit de près les mesures prises par les autorités togolaises pour garantir la sécurité du député et les autres dispositions nécessaires dans de telles circonstances The ECOWAS parliament wants to assure the public that it is closely monitoring the measures the Togolese authorities implement to ensure its member’s safety and the other necessary provisions in such circumstances Senegal itself calls for the Togolese authorities to open an investigation into the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice Several news sites in the West African subregion have published articles on this deplorable incident, which goes against the fundamental principles of ECOWAS and its parliament. RFI published the article “Anger and indignation after an attack on Guy Marius Sagna,” summarizing various African media outlet publications ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders Please consider making a donation to help us continue this work Donate now Authors, please log in » Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details. Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms) Global Voices is supported by the efforts of our volunteer contributors, foundations, donors and mission-related services. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders. The Sky Blues are once again in the thick of the Premier League title race although they've slipped behind leaders Liverpool with the holiday period just around the corner While the team may not be atop the league table right now there have still been many positives for City to focus on and Sagna has singled out Savinho as the one he's been most excited by so far in the campaign "I was looking forward to seeing Oscar Bobb this season, because he had an amazing pre-season, but he got injured," Sagna told Mega Dice. "I'm really looking forward to seeing him back in the squad and playing when he’s ready because he’s a player that can have a big impact at Man City. "If I have to say a name of a player that has amazed me, it's Savinho. Savinho is amazing. He's a copy of [Riyad] Mahrez. The movement, the fact that he can take on players one-on-one is exciting." ECOWAS was created on May 28, 1975, to facilitate cooperation and integration. It was founded on the premise of community to defend the interests of its people. Like the National Assembly of each member state, the institution’s founders established an ECOWAS parliament on July 24, 1993, to achieve several objectives: Renforcer la démocratie représentative dans la Communauté ; Contribuer à la promotion de la paix de la sécurité et de la stabilité en Afrique de l’Ouest ; Informer et sensibiliser les populations de la région ouest-africaine sur les enjeux de l’intégration ; Promouvoir et défendre les principes des droits de l’homme et de la démocratie la responsabilité et la bonne gouvernance ; Contribuer à la mise en œuvre efficiente et efficace des objectifs et des politiques de la Communauté ; etc… Strengthen representative democracy in the community; Contribute to the promotion of peace and stability in West Africa; Inform and alert the public about integration issues in the West African region; Promote and defend human rights and good governance; Contribute to the effective and efficient implementation of community objectives and policies a person must first be a member of parliament in said country thus casting doubt on its leaders and their policies The ECOWAS parliament often addresses these issues of pursuing policies that impoverished the people of West Africa Here is a clip from the video showing the argument between the two parliamentarians: Nous sommes les pays les plus riches de la planète Tant que l’on dira que l’Afrique de l’Ouest est pauvre cela signifie qu’ils font partie du problème Mais pourquoi ne pas dire appauvrissement We are the wealthiest countries on the planet As long as we say that West Africa is poor Adjaratou Traoré subsequently responded: La liberté de parole ne veut pas dire que vous devez dire n’importe quoi à l’endroit des chefs d’État Vous ne pouvez pas vous adresser aux chefs d’État de cette manière Freedom of speech doesn’t mean you should just say anything about the heads of state You can’t address heads of state like that According to ECOWAS, the parliamentarians’ primary concern is the people’s everyday well-being The organization stipulates that all means should be taken to ensure leaders fulfill their commitments The Senegalese parliamentarian simply fulfilled his role by calling out certain leaders Guy Marius Sagna also raised some other significant issues like dictatorship and restrictions on freedom with parliament: Mon discours au parlement de la CEDEAO sur la dictature néocoloniale au Togo, les interdictions arbitraires de manifester, le coup d'État constitutionnel annonciateur d'un coup d'État militaire… pic.twitter.com/uNcEXLZ3LS — Guy Marius SAGNA (@GuyMariusSagna) July 12, 2024 My speech to the ECOWAS parliament on the neo-colonial dictatorship in Togo, the arbitrary bans on protests, and the constitutional coup d’état heralding a military coup… pic.twitter.com/uNcEXLZ3LS The first show of support for Guy Marius Sagna came from Togo. Twenty or so Togolese civil society organizations expressed their support for Sagna for defending the interests of the ECOWAS people. Togolese politician Nathaniel Olympio echoed this sentiment on X: — Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) July 24, 2024 Support for the Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna threatened with expulsion from the ECOWAS parliament by a Togolese parliamentarian The “Don’t Touch My Constitution” political group strongly condemns the threats against Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament This Senegalese parliamentarian is the target of an expulsion petition that a Togolese parliamentarian launched “Don’t Touch My Constitution” offers its unwavering support to the Senegalese parliamentarian who defends the people of this community within the ECOWAS parliament especially the Togolese people who express their gratitude to the Senegalese people Mr Sagna was brave enough to expose the misconduct that the citizens of this community denounced He also pointed out the corruption of the heads of state and governments that act as a union By highlighting the organization’s shortcomings and faults some of his colleagues are so scared that they want to silence and expel him from parliament This could happen in a country that doesn’t respect democratic standards Mr Guy Marius Sagan’s campaign in the ECOWAS parliament appears to be an extension to the views that the president of the Republic of Senegal expressed at the 65th ECOWAS Heads of State and Government summit “To strengthen the trust between the people and their leaders as per the ECOWAS people-oriented projects I strongly urge that greater attention be paid to constitutional and republican order by avoiding constitutional revisions and operations for electoral purposes These are catalysts of conflict that throw countries into turmoil Senegal is clearly responding to the expectations of its people This is why “Don’t Touch My Constitution” encourages Senegal to continue its efforts to establish a people-oriented ECOWAS pic.twitter.com/9c4PCAF00m Nathaniel Olympio also shared his views on Sagan’s stance towards Togo — Nathaniel Olympio (@nathanielolymp) July 12, 2024 Similarly, another Togolese political figure, Habia Nicodème Le député Sénégalais Guy Marius Sagna s'exprimant devant le parlement de la CEDEAO présidé par une député togolaise a averti le gouvernement togolais qu'il peut y avoir un coup d'état ou un mouvement populaire qui peut emporter faure gnassingbé à tout moment. pic.twitter.com/nf5EQK7vbC — Habia Nicodeme, MBA (@NicodemeHabia) July 11, 2024 Speaking to the ECOWAS parliament, which a Togolese member of parliament chairs, Senegalese parliamentarian Guy Marius Sagna warned the Togolese government that a coup d'état or popular movement could overthrow Faure Gnassingbé at any given moment. pic.twitter.com/nf5EQK7vbC In Côte d'Ivoire, Adjaratou Traoré has come under criticism. As can be seen in this CI-News TV program that Sissoko Sora Demba a citizen from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — Sissoko Sora Demba (@DelphineSankara) July 24, 2024 André Kangni Afanou, a Togolese civil society figure, is starting to question the future of ECOWAS. On Facebook on savait presque qu'il ne fallait pas attendre grand chose des Chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement ou de la Commission de la CEDEAO On commencait à penser que quelque que chose de bon pourrait venir du Parlement.Mais alors que penser de cette prise de position du Bureau du Parlement de la CEDEAO Les membres du Bureau auraient ils vraiment peur de “se faire gronder” par les Chef d'Etat ?A cette allure ne risque t-on pas de nous annoncer dans les jours à venir que le parlement serait dépouiller de ses prérogatives et que les députés devraient soumettre leurs déclarations à leur gouvernements pour approbation avant de les présenter ?Devant qui les députés sont ils vraiment redevables Les Chfs d'Etat ou les peuples ?Inéluctablement Soit la CEDEAO entame se donne le courage de se réformer pour répondre aux aspirations des peuples soit elle reste dans une posture conservatrice et alors elle creuserait le fossée avec les citoyens et risque de courir vers sa perte.L'histoire s'écrit sous nos yeux A chacun d'assumer ses choix.Que Dieu nous aide aren’t we at risk of hearing that parliament will be stripped of its powers in the coming days and that parliamentarians must submit their statements to their governments for approval before presenting them To whom are parliamentarians really accountable We inevitably find ourselves at a crossroads ECOWAS will either summon up the courage to reform itself to meet the people’s expectations or maintain its conservative stance thus running the risk of widening the gap with its citizens and ultimately leading to its demise BUREAU STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT The Bureau wishes to express its deep concern and disapproval over the verbal excesses towards the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS member states by one of us during our session we are free to express our different points of view and consider dissenting opinions provided that these views are based on the values of respect and cooperation that underpin our regional organization any unparliamentary remark will not be accepted or tolerated as it does not align with the spirit of fraternity and collaboration that should take precedence in the ECOWAS region and beyond The Bureau recognizes and appreciates the efforts of our founding fathers who have long worked to strengthen our integration and unity to promote peace the Bureau strongly condemns any statement or action that contradicts the ECOWAS principles and values and casts the  institution into disrepute The Bureau strongly urges all parliamentarians to continue working in the interest of regional integration and the well-being of our people Our challenges require stronger cooperation and constructive dialogue The ECOWAS parliament remains committed to promoting democracy Being a community parliament does not exempt us from the obligation to respect and show courtesy towards our heads of state and government At a time when ECOWAS leaders are stepping up their efforts and appealing for Burkina Faso and Niger to return to the organization after withdrawing in January 2024 a controversy like this is unlikely to restore the organization’s image Authors, please log in » Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has taken supporters to task for criticising Martin Odegaard’s performances The Norwegian has experienced a dip in form this season but, speaking to Paddy Power Sagna suggested that there are mitigating factors for why Odegaard hasn’t been at his absolute best: “I’m surprised to see the criticism towards Martin Ødegaard to be honest He’s not been as decisive or directly involved in as many goals as he was last season but he’s a good player.” it’s been difficult for him to get as many assists this season but Arsenal have been playing without a number nine which impacts how decisive he can be because it restricts him from playing as well The players up front are not playing how a pure number nine would be.” “If he was behind a natural number nine his assist numbers would be higher because his delivery will end up being converted into goals Odegaard has always been focused and always been professional and instead of criticising him It’s difficult to catch Liverpool but they’ve lost two games in a row and you never know because football is all about confidence they should support the team no matter what.” Odegaard has undoubtedly been less productive than in previous years he averaged a goal contribution every 2.18 matches but it is not the dramatic drop-off that some critics have asserted The link-up play between the Gunners captain and Bukayo Saka has been the hallmark of the London club’s title challenges over the past few seasons Saka has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since December and Odegaard has clearly missed playing with the England international With Saka set to return to fitness shortly after the international break it would not be a surprise if Odegaard’s productivity in the final third improves If you would like to read more stories like this, visit this page for the Latest Arsenal News You can also keep up to date via our Facebook page and follow us on X David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years Having started as an intern at Snack Media he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network Do not sell or share my personal information News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media Ex-Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna would love to see Paul Pogba join the club at the conclusion of his doping ban Pogba is nearing the end of an 18-month suspension after testing positive for banned substance DHEA in August 2023 The Frenchman was given an initial four-year suspension which was recently cut to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport The former Manchester United and Juventus star is now free to resume football duties in March 2025 and is already eyeing a return to the international scene ahead of the 2026 World Cup Pogba remains under contract with Juventus and is ready to fight for his place upon his return Juventus has since revamped their project having offloaded many of the club’s big earners such as Federico Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot Pogba also fits into that mould and reports in Italy suggest Pogba could be the next star to be offloaded as part of new boss Thiago Motta’s revolution That could open the door for a return to the Premier League, more specifically Arsenal and Sagna believes the north London club would provide the perfect landing spot for the midfielder “It would be great – he has experience; he loves to play with young players around him – that is when he is most efficient,” Sagna said that was when he was most efficient – he had friends around him.   and I see him performing in an Arsenal shirt and he’ll be back with a desire to get back into a good space and play football again.” Pogba spoke about the impact his ban had on him last week and took the opportunity to plead his innocence “I am not a cheater,” he told Sky Sports “I accept responsibility of taking the supplement but I didn’t triple check it – even if it came from a professional “So even when everything happened people said: ‘we know Paul he wouldn’t have known and it won’t have been on purpose’ I like to win fairly and people know that.” Do not sell or share my personal information Arsenal legend Bacary Sagna has urged the club to sign Paul Pogba and Viktor Gyokeres ahead of the January transfer window Anthony Nlebem Sagna: Pogba could return to Man United under Amorim and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content $(document).ready(function(){(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({})}); but he doesn't want to see the Ukrainian leave Arsenal Zinchenko joined the club in 2022 from Manchester City and quickly became a key part of Mikel Arteta's side but last season he saw his playing time reduced as he struggled with the team's change in tactics The 27-year-old has been criticised for not being flexible enough in his playing style but former Gunner Sagna doesn't think Zinchenko's struggles should mean an exit from the Emirates Stadium Speaking to Paddy Power Sagna explained why he believes Zinchenko could still be valuable for the North London side and why he struggled at times last season “Oleksandr Zinchenko is good enough to do the job for Arsenal," Sagna said "He’s a great player tactically and understands what’s asked of him by the coach "Sometimes when you have to play in the middle of the park you may need to be in a different position and expose yourself The way Arsenal play has to be in the middle of the park "He’s exposed more than before but that is because Arsenal have been having the ball more and putting more pressure on teams.” Live on DAZN: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez on June 29.  Click here for details. Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has said that Arsenal were right to not sign a striker in the January transfer window One of the biggest stories surrounding the Gunners this season has been Arsenal’s lack of a striker and the fact that they didn’t sign one both in the summer and in January After Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus got injured, Arsenal were left without a capable striker in the squad, meaning that Mikel Arteta had to get creative and play midfielder Mikel Merino up front However, in their last two games against Nottingham Forest and West Ham showing that a lack of goal scorer has been damaging for a quality striker to move in the middle of the season is very difficult because we don’t want to act in an emergency clubs aren’t always willing to let their top strikers go so there are many elements which made it hard for Arsenal to sign a striker I’m sure they would have tried but if the selling club raises their price to a different level you don’t just buy them because you need them “I hear people saying that Arsenal should have got a striker but it’s not like that The Gunners made a bid for just one striker in January in the form of Aston Villa attacker Ollie Watkins who has scored 12 goals for Unai Emery’s side this season However, they offered Villa a bid for Watkins directly after they’d sold striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr meaning that they would’ve lost both their top attackers should they have sold Watkins too It was seen as a slight panic bid from the Gunners who could have made a move for Watkins early in the window before Villa sold Duran – then they may have been able to land their man Click here to see Arsenal’s first team squad for the 2024/25 season and profiles for each player.  according to former France international Bacary Sagna Mbappe is in his first season at Real Madrid after spending the first nine years of his career in the French top flight and while the 25-year-old has started to produce for his new club the main reason behind Mbappe's relatively slow transition to La Liga is simple In additon to having to adjust to a new country and team environment Sagna says Mbappe must also adapt to not being the "main man" on his new side where he played several years alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar "It’s going to take time for him to be at his best because it’s a new team with a new philosophy," Sagna told Mega Dice "Mbappe has gone into a new environment a team that has just won the Champions League He’s surrounded by big players that have already won a lot He’s not the leader of this Madrid team like he was in Paris Mabppe has been the best player in every team that he played in Now he's surrounded with big profiles and big egos That can be hard to deal with – it’s all new for Kylian." Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has said that Arsenal should sign ex-Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been waiting to get his career kickstarted again as he had an 18-month ban for doping offences meaning that he’ll be eligible to play again in March 2025 He remains at Juventus but is looking to move elsewhere in January which is when he’ll be allowed to begin training again and could come to the Emirates Stadium Bacary Sagna believes that Arsenal should target Pogba to reinforce their midfield as they aim to topple rivals Manchester City to the Premier League title this season He told Paddy Power: “The Premier League suits Paul Pogba – I would love to see him join Arsenal It would be great – he has experience; he loves to play with young players around him – that is when he is most efficient that was when he was most efficient – he had friends around him he can start from scratch again – he’s had time away from football and he’ll be back with a desire to get back into a good space and play football again.” The former Manchester United star confirmed in an interview with Gazetta Dello Sport that he turned down Pep Guardiola and a move to Manchester City when he was last a free agent in 2022 he was leaving after his second spell with United and didn’t want to move straight to their local rivals now that Pogba is likely to be a free agent again it raises the question of whether Pep Guardiola would go back in for the Frenchman which brings more intensity to Sagna’s recommendation Manchester City and Arsenal are both battling for the Premier League title if they were both seen to battle for Pogba’s signature The 31-year-old scored 39 goals and 48 appearances for the Red Devils and is revered to be one of the best midfielders in the world on his day Pogba’s biggest issue has been his consistency over the years especially during his time at United due to the number of managers that the club had cycled through He could be worth a gamble by one of Arsenal or City in their pursuit of the Premier League title Dylan Oakley joined the National World Network sites in summer 2024 after spending time writing for DerbyWorld He has since become the main Arsenal reporter for GoonerNews and also reports for LondonWorld Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna believes that Ruben Amorim would be willing to bring Paul Pogba back to the club Pogba finally left United on a free transfer in 2022 The Frenchman has endured a torrid time since with injury off the field problems and finally an original ban of four years for using an illegal substance Fortunately for the 31 year old, his ban was substantially reduced and he will be able to train from January and play competitive football in March Although, former Arsenal and French international Sagna has sensationally linked Pogba to a return to Old Trafford according to comments picked up by the Daily Star Commenting on the potential of a third Pogba spell at United he claimed “it’s a different situation today at Manchester United to when Paul was previously there a coach that understands the situation.” Sagna then stated that Amorim would appreciate having the 2018 World Cup winner in and around the squad by asserting “he will probably be willing to have a player like Paul at his training sessions so I’m sure the coach will be open to seeing him getting back home because he loves United.” The former defender then claimed that Pogba still has real affection for the club where he spent nine seasons The only problem was the situation when he came back.” “That was a spell where things didn’t go as well as they should have done but Paul wasn’t the only player that struggled at United during the time he was there.” It is safe to say a third homecoming for the controversial Frenchman is most likely off the cards Amorim has spoken of the need to increase the intensity in the team Ineos have reportedly abandoned the policy of signing high earning players in their 30s so on two accounts a potential return looks puzzling inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden The Gunners travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on match day four of the 2024/25 Premier League season It’s set to be a well-contested fixture in North London, as Arsenal and Spurs prepare to battle for three points and bragging rights While there will be some anxiety in the Arsenal camp due to Mikel Arteta’s squad issues, nothing will take away from the occasion of a North London derby One former Arsenal player is excited for the upcoming clash between the Gunners and Spurs, as Bacary Sagna took to social media to fire his former club up Sagna played against Tottenham more than any other side during his playing career The Frenchman is fired up before the derby as seen when he posted a series of memories from his involvement in the fixture on his Instagram story Sagna posted a five-word rallying cry saying followed by photos of himself in duels with Spurs players over the years The former right-back then posted highlights of Arsenal’s 5-2 victory against their rivals back in 2012 The North London derby can be a joyous or heartbreaking battle with Sagna experiencing more wins than defeats to the Lilywhites during his time in the Premier League Many icons for both Spurs and Arsenal have made their names in the North London derby whether it be Thierry Henry never losing one or Harry Kane leading the scoring charts In a past interview with GOAL Sagna reflected on what makes the fixture so special and how it felt to play against Spurs as a Gunner it was always one of the best games of the year it’s a different way to get ready for the game “Any game you play should be at 100 per cent but that game you want to play at 100% for yourself and for the fans because there is no better feeling than winning and seeing the fans going crazy at the end I won more than I lost against Tottenham so I have good memories – and I scored a nice goal against them as well.” The Arsenal squad today certainly know how to beat Spurs away from home recording consecutive wins at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by an aggregate score of 5-2 Bacary Sagna has predicted that Liverpool will be knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain despite winning the first-leg 1-0 of their last-16 tie Sagna also believes Arsenal still have a chance of winning the Premier League despite Liverpool’s 13 points lead in the table “I believe they [Arsenal] are doing a great job Some people got disappointed because they were expecting the team to be a bit closer [to Liverpool] at this period of time,” Sagna told talkSPORT It’s going to be difficult to catch Liverpool but when I look at the game they played against Paris Saint Germain I’m thinking maybe they are going to have times where they don’t perform so well “Maybe this is where Arsenal can maybe catch up and close the gap The gap is big today but maybe it can be reduced “I believe Paris have a good chance at going through to the Champions League stage so then the vibe will be down “At the minute Liverpool is flying because of the results that they are having but you never know.” Real Madrid are the current holders of the Champions League while Manchester City are the reigning champions of the Premier League break bank for him – Sherringham names striker Arteta should sign Liam Roberts’ ban over horror tackle on Mateta EPL: ‘It was strange’ – Rooney slams Amorim over tactics EPL: Keane hands Maresca one key signing to make for Chelsea this summer EPL: Joy to watch – Gary Neville names best player after Chelsea beat Liverpool Owen tells Slot to replace Liverpool star after Chelsea defeat EPL: Iwobi battles five players for Fulham’s Goal of the Month EPL: I needed change – Alexander-Arnold finally confirms Liverpool exit Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna claims that transfer target Mikel Merino has similar attributes to Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan The Gunners are currently in talks to sign the Real Sociedad midfielder and, speaking to Paddy Power Sagna said that Merino would be an excellent addition to the squad: “Mikel Merino is another good footballer and we saw how important he was during the Euros for Spain He’s been linked with Arsenal for a while and he’s got quality to add to the club I’m not surprised Arsenal are in for him because Arteta will have been following him He’s someone who can adapt to any club and he’s a bit like Ilkay Gundogan because he arrives in the box at the right moment and we saw him do that for Spain.” “Arsenal need to double up in that position [centre midfield] and he’s one of them who would be a big addition to the squad They need players like that and need competition in the squad it would be very promising to start the season like these.” In terms of goals and assists through their professional careers the former Manchester City player is superior having averaged 0.35 goal involvements every 90 minutes Even so, there is no doubt that Merino can score and create goals from midfield; something that Arteta clearly wants to add to the squad It is believed that the Gunners are prepared to pay as much as €35m (£30m) for Merino despite the fact that the 28-year-old has less than a year left on his contract to raise the funds necessary to get the deal over the line the London club will need to sell someone first Eddie Nketiah would be the likeliest candidate but finding a potential suitor has proven difficult with moves to Marseille and Bournemouth having fallen through Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has tipped Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly to get an England call-up in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad Former Chelsea boss Tuchel took over as England manager succeeding Gareth Southgate and he is due to select his first England squad for an international break at the end of March Myles Lewis-Skelly was a standout figure during Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Manchester City over the weekend and Sagna believes that he is already good enough to get an England call-up despite the fact that he’s just 18 years old Sagna, who played for Arsenal between 2007 and 2014, told GoonerNews via greatoffshoresportsbooks.com: “I get a lot of excitement watching him play especially as I don’t know him really well “When someone plays for the first time you wonder if he will play in a way that suits the team but he’s proven that he does suit this Arsenal team I think he’s going to be part of Thomas Tuchel’s national team when he picks his first squad I think he is going to have a really long and successful career.” After Arsenal’s win against Manchester City on Sunday Sky Sports commentator and pundit Gary Neville claimed that Lewis-Skelly is the best left back he’s seen since former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole – but Sagna believes that it is unfair to make such a comparison I think it’s too early to compare Myles Lewis-Skelly to any player Myles has a lot of talent; I think he has a lot of confidence “Doing what he’s doing at 18 is beyond amazing but I think we need to let him grow and keep playing because he has only been playing first team football for a few months “Let’s give him the time to develop into his own player Let’s let him find his own path and be the player he wants to be rather than comparing him to players from the past.” interim manager Lee Carsley selected just two players that could be considered left-backs Carsley picked Newcastle pair Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento who will both likely be considered by Tuchel for a spot in his England team Chelsea full-back Ben Chilwell joined Crystal Palace on loan during the January window, and so he could get more regular game time, leading to an England call-up. His teammate at Selhurst Park Tyrick Mitchell will also command Tuchel’s attention after an impressive season so far for the Eagles. The likes of Kieran Trippier and Joe Gomez have struggled to get regular game time at Newcastle and Liverpool. Other than that, Luke Shaw is currently injured so won’t be selected. Seeing as Lewis-Skelly doesn’t have a vast amount of competition for an England squad place, Sagna’s claim could be about right considering the form of the 18-year-old. but they have Manchester City breathing down their necks meaning Pep Guardiola's side will claim the league title if they win their remaining matches It's a tough position for the Gunners to be in as they seek their first league crown in 20 years knowing that their fate is out of their hands Arsenal have topped the standings for most of the season but a few poor results have led to their current predicament Former Gunner Bacary Sagna believes it was the two matches against a particular opponent that may have lost his old team the title. Speaking to Paddy Power Sagna points to an early season 2-2 draw with Fulham at the Emirates and the 2-1 loss on New Year's Eve at Craven Cottage that did the most damage to Arsenal's title hopes in an otherwise stellar campaign “It’s difficult to explain what Arsenal need to do to win the league – they have the quality in every single position," Sagna said "They've been consistent and they’re having a great season “The only thing they might regret is losing to Fulham away and drawing at home that was a turning point – they dropped important points in those two games but they ended up losing and drawing games they should’ve won “They are still in contention; they’ve managed to be up there they were standing in the same position as Manchester United are in today Live on DAZN PPV: Fury vs. Usyk on May 18. Click here for details. Vous serez automatiquement redirigé vers la page demandée après 3 secondes.Ne pas fermer cette page Patienter 3 secondes pour passer à la page Bacary Sagna spent seven seasons on the books at Arsenal He made almost 300 appearances for the North London club having turned down a new contract with the Gunners the Frenchman signed for Manchester City as a free agent and went on to spend three seasons in the North West adding a League Cup winners’ medal to his collection The 41-year-old was admired for his defensive solidity and consistency in his time at the Emirates Stadium and can perhaps consider himself somewhat unfortunate to have been one of Arsenal’s standout players during an era when the club were not able to seriously challenge for major honours Sagna clearly has great respect for the club and many of the iconic figures who have worn the famous red and white including himself in his Premier League dream XI Speaking to the Daily Mail the 65-cap former France international was asked to pick a team made up of the best ever Premier League players Between the sticks he went for Edwin van der Sar Joining himself in the back four were Patrice Evra There is a far greater Arsenal influence in the rest of his team Patrick Vieira features in a midfield trio alongside Eden Hazard and Claude Makelele It’s an all Arsenal show at the top end of the pitch, with Mesut Ozil and backing up a strike duo of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp For all of his quality, though, it is perhaps a surprise to see Ozil named in the team rather than Cesc Fabregas. Sagna played with both, and they were both world-class playmakers. However, Ozil’s reputation was somewhat damaged given the manner in which his Arsenal career came to an end The Frenchman is the Gunners’ all-time leading goalscorer and arguably the best striker to have ever graced the Premier League Henry recently proved that class is permanent too as he impressed Arsenal fans with his skills on the training pitch as he prepares to lead France at the Paris Olympics The Gunners ended the season in fantastic form with Arsenal dropping points in just two Premier League matches as the north London side came within a whisker of beating Manchester City to the title Arsenal will soon go into overdrive in making the signings needed to go that extra mile next season and to overtake City at last for the biggest prize in English football Yet Sagna has questioned why one Arsenal player is now being criticised Sagna said when asked about recent criticism towards Zinchenko: “I love Zinchenko I’m trying to understand why people say he didn’t have a great season READ MORE: Arsenal 24/25 confirmed signings, transfers in and out, loan exits and releases “It is because he made one mistake against Liverpool where he was caught out of possession and Arsenal were punished Arteta puts so many demands on him as a footballer; he performs several roles in the team from his left-back position “When Arsenal lose the ball and he moves into the midfield but this is a product of the bravery Arteta demands from his players and the football he wants to play.” There’s no denying that Zinchenko is a sensational player with the Ukraine international one of the best in Arsenal’s squad when it comes to a technical level and progressing the ball Yet criticism aimed at Zinchenko has been warranted at some points this season with the defender at fault for Arsenal’s 2-0 loss against Aston Villa as well as the draw against Liverpool at Anfield With rumours of a move to Bayern Munich, it could be a smart idea for Zinchenko to move on this summer, especially if Arsenal can recoup a good fee for the former City star. The former Gunners defender feels the club should invest in more depth down the middle of the park particularly in defence where they were fortunate to see their starters go relatively unscathed last season Sagna explained why he feels it's important for Arsenal to focus on shoring up that part of the squad “Arsenal should sign another centre-back," Sagna said "William Saliba and Gabriel stayed injury-free this season but they had many games and would want to rest them at some point "You need to cover the positions as a team – they should sign one centre-back “The centre-back position needs to have some depth and Arsenal need to be able to bring someone on without changing the shape of the team "They need someone solid that can take responsibility has experience of this pressure and can keep up with the high level of the team.”  Live on DAZN: Juan Francisco Estrada vs. Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez on June 29. Click here for details. Which language would you like to use this site in Authorities in Senegal must immediately release Guy Marius Sagna a prominent activist who is entering his fourth month in detention for peacefully protesting high electricity prices the coordinator of the Front for a Popular Anti-Imperialist Revolution and Pan African (FRAAP) has spent three months in a high security prison in Dakar Since then 1,233 letters and petitions have been sent from around Senegal calling for his release Guy Marius Sagna has spent 90 days behind bars in a high security prison He is being treated like a dangerous criminal simply for exercising his freedom of peaceful assembly He is being treated like a dangerous criminal simply for exercising his freedom of peaceful assembly,” said Seydi Gassama “More than a thousand people have sent letters calling for his release If President Macky Sall and his government want to prove that they are committed to respecting and protecting human rights they should release Guy Marius Sagna immediately and without conditions.” On 29 November 2019 Sagna took part in a peaceful protest in Dakar’s city center He was arrested in front of the gates of the Presidential palace with eight other activists The eight were charged with ‘’participation in an unauthorized gathering’’ but were released on bail between 4 December 2019 and 21 January 2020 Sagna was charged with ‘’inciting an unauthorized gathering and rebellion’’ and the authorities have three times rejected his lawyer’s requests for bail Amnesty International was able to visit him in prison and so did his family members but there are restrictions for many of his friends In a letter published on 29 January on social media Sagna said: “I am in prison in a high security unit reserved for terrorists… In two months Amnesty International calls on authorities to ensure that “Authorities should immediately drop the charges against all nine activists and stop prosecuting individuals simply for exercising their right to peaceful assembly,” said Seydi Gassama “They must also repeal the 2011 Decree banning all peaceful demonstrations in a large area of the city center of Dakar” the national company of electricity announced an increase in the price of electricity for customers Civil society and pro-democracy movements made of five organisations “Les Forces Démocratiques du Sénégal” ,“les Gilets Rouges” “Nittu Dëgg” and the Front for a Popular Anti-Imperialist Revolution and Pan-African (FRAAP) decided to protest the decision through a rally from the “Place of the Nation” to the main entrance of the presidential palace in Dakar to hand a letter to President Macky Sall the Prefect of Dakar requested from the organizers to change the itinerary suggesting a new one which they have refused the Minister of Interior took an order imposing blanket bans on demonstrations in parts of the city centre of Dakar Together we can fight for human rights everywhere Your donation can transform the lives of millions If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you Guy Marius Sagna recently addressed the accusations that he had made anti-French remarks during his appearance on the RTS program “Point de Vue” aired on Sunday During the program, the leader of France Dégage movement responded to the controversy generated by his previous statements.→ ALSO READ : Assembly: Members vote the Reactivation of Internal Rules Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In his playing career, the Frenchman racked up 267 combined top-flight appearances for Manchester City and Arsenal Having played with and against a wide range of other big-name full-backs throughout his time as a Premier League player the 41-year-old certainly has the knowledge and experience to recognise a top defender when he sees one In fact, Sagna has now made a claim regarding two of the most popular full-backs the Premier League has seen, one of which is currently a part of Pep Guardiola’s side at the Etihad Stadium Appearing in a recent video shared on the Daily Mail Sport TikTok channel Sagna was doing a winner-stays-on challenge involving numerous past and present full-backs When asked to pick between Patrice Evra and Kyle Walker Sagna chose the former Manchester United left-back over the current City captain During his eight-and-a-half-year spell at Old Trafford between January 2006 and July 2014 Evra made 379 appearances across all competitions delivering 33 assists and winning five Premier League titles In comparison, with seven years under his belt at City, Walker has won six Premier League trophies in 301 appearances across all competitions bagging six goals and providing 23 assists along the way Having captained the Blues to a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title last season there’s no doubt that the Englishman is one of the most significant full-backs the top flight has seen In fact, former United player Ashley Young said back in May that the 34-year-old is one of the best full-backs in Premier League history While Evra also had a successful period in England we feel that not many City supporters would agree with Sagna’s pick The independent voice of Newcastle United since 1988 Get your daily update and weekly newsletter by signing up today Some interesting comments from Bacary Sagna on Newcastle United and the Premier League The former France international who played for Arsenal and Manchester City talking about how he sees this season playing out Bacary Sagna speaking ahead of the return to action after the November international break Still 27 rounds of Premier League matches to go the table already looking very interesting Liverpool the only side showing any real consistency so far but they have also carried significant luck in a number of games leading to wins instead of draws and so on The scousers have 28 points after 11 matches Bacary Sagna thinks that it will be most likely his two old clubs Man City and Arsenal fighting it out for the title with Liverpool Then when it comes to which other club will finish top four this season the former France international believing Newcastle United can do it Bacary Sagna talking to Mega Dice about which club he thinks can complete the Premier League top four this season (along with Man City “I think Newcastle are the team that will secure the final Champions League place “They have a great project at Newcastle “They play without any pressure because I don’t think anyone tipped them to finish in the top four this season “They have a great investor, but he’s composed. They’re not just buying players; they want to build a team, and they’ve managed to slowly improve their squad and are capable of beating any of the bigger teams in the Premier League “I don’t see Fulham or Brighton keeping up with the pace because at some point when you’re not used to competing for a place in the top four players might think it’s enough for them to be in the top six or eight “Newcastle are hopeful of playing in the Champions League and the club is used to playing for those objectives “Newcastle is the most serious contender for the Champions League.” View Author Profile If you would like to feature on The Mag, submit your article to contribute@themag.co.uk Newcastle United loan player releases emotional farewell statement to fans Official Newcastle United announcement- Garang Kuol shortlisted for award Confirmed Newcastle team v Brighton – Schar Sky Sports expert’s verdict on Newcastle United – Struggle to disagree with any of this I don’t worry about Newcastle United – Clinton Morrison Champions League stance Brendan Rodgers reacts to Celtic v Newcastle United friendly as ticket prices made public Celtic friendly now confirmed – Newcastle United official announcement Opta predicted final 2024/25 Premier League table – Reassessed with 3 games each to play Danny Murphy on Eddie Howe and Newcastle United – This is really good Former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has called on his old club to sign Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres The Frenchman described Gyokeres as a pure striker Speaking recently to Metro on behalf of Paddy Power Sagna said: “I’d like to see Arsenal go for Viktor Gyokeres—he’s amazing He’s a pure striker who would offer some depth to Arsenal “He’s also quite tall so whenever the team are out wide they can cross the ball a bit more and that’s been missing a bit for me.” Gyokeres is currently playing for Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon The 26-year-old has scored 13 goals in 13 games across all competitions this season WAFU U-20 Championship: Flying Eagles will play better against Niger — Coach Zubairu CONCACAF awards: List of winners confirmed UCL: Wenger reveals ‘advantage’ Arsenal have over PSG ahead of second leg Neville identify one player that makes Chelsea better team Event | Contact French | English he uses technology to address the problems facing vulnerable populations in Africa He has developed several innovative solutions and has received numerous awards Djibril Sagna (photo) is a Senegalese computer scientist and entrepreneur a startup founded in 2018 that offers innovative technological solutions in various fields such as healthcare Impact Solution has developed several groundbreaking solutions an electronic medical records platform designed to improve healthcare access and patient outcomes The said platform aims to enhance care coordination and strengthen the capacities of healthcare personnel while eliminating the inefficiencies associated with manual paper record management a platform that modernizes urban transportation by allowing users to plan and pay for their public transport journeys the company won the Innovation Award from the Executive Council for Sustainable Urban Transport in Senegal Impact Solution established the Impact Digital Center an information and support hub for students and digital project initiators The center offers innovative and intensive programs where a team of experts collaborates with beneficiaries to identify and solve their problems Djibril Sagna has been the IT manager for the Network for Health and Population (RESSIP) of the European NGO platform in Senegal (CONGAD) since 2016 where he manages the health NGOs' database He is also a web developer for Senegalese NGO Connexion Sans Frontière Djibril Sagna graduated from the Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar with a master's degree in law in 2015 He also holds an engineering degree in software engineering obtained in 2017 from IAM Tech the technology school of the African Institute of Management (IAM) an international company specializing in ICT development in Africa at the Africa Entrepreneur Summit in Paris He also won the Health Disrupt Senegal Contest Award presented by Free Senegal Please publish modules in offcanvas position TSF gets back to the arduous chore of rating every single Arsenal player's 2012-13 performance the TSF crew shares its opinions about Bacary Sagna One thing you'll note as we go through this process is the relative similarity of grades of a lot of players we then go through and evaluate slightly more harshly with words than we did with letters We decided to do a pretty strict A-F grading scale so given that it's tricky to accurately letter-grade a player; personally the grade is an afterthought and the overall evaluation is what I try to focus on PAUL:This is what I wrote about Bacary Sagna after last season: so maybe if he stays healthy all next year he'll develop the consistency he needs to take that next step forward and become the truly dominant defender he by rights ought to be and he has moments of brilliance - like the Sunderland game where he stepped in for the red-carded Carl Jenkinson and played like a beast - but all too often this season he was relatively anonymous While I recognize that coming back from two broken legs (!) is a long I am still awaiting that step forward I wanted him to take last season so he can become the all-conquering player I know he's capable of being - and at 30 but I want him to be better on a more consistent basis next season TED:Bacary Sagna isn't quite the Bacary Sagna we had from 07-10 anymore A succession of broken legs and age creeping in has slowed his pace a bit I'm not sure he's done as an Arsenal player or anything like that but there were times this year where I kind of just wanted to throw my shoe at him like filling it at emergency center back against Sunderland and basically heading every clearance away Sagna's peak time at fullback might be drawing to an end I think he can still be a useful piece for Arsenal going forward but Carl Jenkinson's improvement may start to push him out a little more next year AIDAN:Bacary Sagna had his worst season for Arsenal and it was still better than most right backs there were a number of glaring errors in Sagna's game errors that pointed towards a lack of focus (that whole one-year left on contract thingy) That Sagna's best game came at centre back is indicative of that: there he was able to show the traits that still make him a very good defender He still had some very good games at right back because one feels Carl Jenkinson could only grow under his tutelage rather than being thrust into the limelight More discipline from Theo Walcott would help too; often but his passing remains a plus from right back TRAVIS:The realization that one of your favorite player's career is starting its descent into the fading sky the warmth of the daylight sun struggling to maintain its previous dominance as it falls away into darkness Physically it's the same person but their movements action and end-result is duller; no longer is the player as crisp and sharp as before While his marking hasn't decreased with vigor far too often he was misplacing short passes while failing to anticipate his teammates' runs deep in the opposition's half While he showed at times that he's still able to support Theo Walcott in attack his best traits are still closing down opponents in space Arsene Wenger's policy with players over thirty years old has subsided a touch over the last ten seasons but with his contract situation coupled with a promising Carl Jenkinson showing rapid improvement over his short time at the club and the drop-off from his previous consistent awesomeness worried basically everyone He made errors he hasn't been prone to making in the past - in particular in passing a ball directly to him then fouling him in the box for a game-tying penalty But although he is getting older (he turned 30 in February) and his form dropped this year and a player worth sticking with if at all possible and another year removed from a double leg break (which all things being equal) will help him recover his previously stellar form GRADE: via i41.tinypic.com The ex-Gunner was one of the Premier League's best right-backs during his time in north London but left in 2014 after growing disillusioned Bacary Sagna has opened up about leaving his ‘beloved’ Arsenal in 2014 admitting that he lost his head at the club’s reluctance to open contract talks Sagna quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League with his consistent performances on the right side of Arsenal’s back four He was named in the Premier League team of the year in 2008 and 2011 and went on to make 284 appearances for the Gunners during his seven-year stay with the club But he left on a free transfer in the summer of 2014 and went on to make a move to Manchester City where he spent the next three seasons before leaving in 2017 The ex-France international has now revealed why the circumstances around Emirates Stadium at the time left him with no option other than to leave Sagna - who is a free agent and living with his family in Canada - admits Arsenal’s decisions to sell Robin van Persie to Manchester United and Alex Song to Barcelona played a part in bringing about his exit but the main reason was how late the club left it before trying to enter into talks about a new contract not when [Cesc] Fabregas left - because that was quite an obvious move - not when [Samir] Nasri left He left in a way that no-one understood because he was flying,” the 37-year-old told Goal in an exclusive interview I wondered why Arsenal didn’t try more to keep him just do it because you have to spend money to get another player it’s going to take time for that player to adapt “I didn’t understand that and Alex Song’s move The two of them left at the same time and I found out reading the French press Sagna added: “Not long afterwards I had an interview with L’Equipe and they asked me what my future was and at that time I hadn’t held any talks about my future and I only had one year left before the end of my contract if they wanted me to stay I would have stayed But I didn’t feel like they did everything to make me stay I was not expecting them to run around after me but I at least expected them to show me some love and make me feel like they wanted me to stay one year before the end of the same contract I had kept for six years without asking for one penny more “But they only talked to me after I did that interview with L’Equipe It did not feel like a natural move and I didn’t feel comfortable at all This hurt me as a player and as a person because I always gave my best I never asked for anything from 2008 to 2014 “I didn’t knock at the club’s door to change contract there were many suggestions that his move was purely about getting one last big payday He was 31 at the time; the latest in a long line of players to move from Arsenal to big-spending Manchester City But Sagna is adamant money had nothing to do with his decision “It was not about money like people think or any way of leaving to win trophies I remember the fans singing ‘we want you to stay’ but I couldn’t stay because I was upset and I couldn’t play with my head saying ‘look you need to clear this up’ but I said I was too upset I remember my dad and my brother came to a game and they didn’t recognise me But during that period I think I did more positive things than negative things and I never asked for anything “So I expected a bit more respect and so I made up my mind When they came and said how can we help you Sagna is now living in Canada having spent the past two seasons playing in MLS with Montreal Impact but has not ruled out playing again once football’s temporary suspension caused by the coronavirus pandemic is lifted He could have returned to Europe in January but he opted to remain in Montreal because he is currently applying for citizenship in Canada and any move would have seen he and his family lose their Canadian status It’s been nearly six years since the last of his 284 appearances for Arsenal - which came in the 2014 FA Cup Final when the Gunners finally ended their nine-year wait for silverware After some near misses in terms of the title during Sagna’s spell at the club and a painful defeat to Birmingham City in the League Cup final in 2011 Arsene Wenger’s side went into the game against Hull City as overwhelming favourites But they found themselves facing more heartache when they fell 2-0 down inside 10 minutes at Wembley before mounting a thrilling comeback to win 3-2 thanks to Aaron Ramsey’s now iconic extra-time winner it was an afternoon packed full of emotion one that was perfectly encapsulated by a picture taken seconds after the full-time whistle where he is kneeling on the turf praying while Arsene Wenger kisses him on the forehead “I knew I was going to leave and I wanted to win it so much maybe it can have the opposite impact and we started really badly “On the pitch I had tears coming because I didn’t want to leave that way I was desperate to win that game and so when we came back and managed to win yes I was praying at the end because I was very grateful for winning in that shirt I used to watch Arsenal and it was something special to play for Arsenal “So I was really grateful and I’m sill grateful to the club because he was the one who brought me to the club and I had an amazing relationship with him.” That FA Cup was the only trophy Sagna lifted during his time in north London but it had looked for some time like he might mark his first season in England with the Premier League title having made the move from Auxerre in the summer of 2007 Wenger’s exciting young side were five points clear at the top of the table during the 2007-08 season and had the chance to extend that advantage to eight points when they travelled to Birmingham City on February 23 But the horrific leg break suffered by Eduardo in the opening minutes of that clash at St Andrew's combined with James McFadden rescuing a point for the home side with an injury-time penalty was the catalyst for an end-of-season collapse Arsenal drew their next three games in the league before losing at Chelsea and Manchester United A season that promised so much ended in disappointment and Sagna admits that game at Birmingham played a big part in the sudden loss of form “It was a massive blow to our team,” said the defender we had some form and we were not scared of anyone They were pushing and the atmosphere was great “We were doing very good and Eduardo was flying He was our main scorer and the fact that he got injured I think it put some insecurity in our team it maybe made us think about what might happen next “It was quite the shock to be on the pitch that day I don’t want to use it as an excuse because after this we didn’t manage to win for so many games It put insecurity into the team and we were not able to come back.” The draw at St Andrew's also brought then-Gunners captain William Gallas' now infamous tantrum following the award of Birmingham’s late penalty The centre-back stormed to the halfway line in disgust before kicking an advertising hoarding and he sat alone on the pitch rather than join his team-mates back in the changing room Many felt Gallas’ outburst was another contributing factor in Arsenal’s capitulation but Sagna does not believe that assessment is a fair one “I think it’s easy to say that he had the wrong attitude but he was our captain and that time he tried his best,” said the right-back showing in front of everyone that he wasn’t happy was not the best action it was more that no-one could really understand why [he did it] “It’s the kind of thing that happened that shouldn’t be happening But he was not the reason why we went down and I think everyone was a bit harsh on him but we were still on the path to achieving a great season and we all could have done better Montreal Impact fans got an early Christmas present Monday when the club announced the re-signing of veteran French right back Bacary Sagna to a one-year deal “I am very satisfied that Bacary carries on with the club,” Impact head coach Remi Garde said in a statement “He played a big role in our good second half to the season in 2018 and I am sure he will once again be an important part of the Impact in 2019.” The 35-year-old former Arsenal standout arrived in Montreal in August and started all nine games he appeared in, chipping in with one goal, which came against the New York Red Bulls “I’m very happy to be back with the Impact for one more year,” Sagna said “I hope we have a good season and make it all the way.” who spent 10 years in the English Premier League with Arsenal and Manchester City also has 65 caps for the French national team playing in a pair of World Cups and every minute of Les Bleus matches in Euro 2016 has urged ex-Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba to join the Gunners Pogba is desperate to get his career back on track after his four-year ban for doping offences was recently reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport The 31-year-old will be free to resume training from January 2025 The France World Cup winner is eligible to play again in March Pogba is likely to continue his career away from Juventus despite his current deal set to expire in June 2026 “The Premier League suits Paul Pogba – I would love to see him join Arsenal,” Sagna told Paddy Power “It would be great – he has experience; he loves to play with young players around him – that is when he is most efficient Europa League: My partnership with Icardi unstoppable – Osimhen WAFU U-20 Championship: Flying Eagles in make or mar against Cote d’Ivoire Arsenal’s Jorginho to sign three-year contract with new club Inter Milan in epic battle for Munich final UCL: Arsenal must give their life to qualify for final – Arteta Manchester City and Arsenal were eliminated from continental play last week Villa are competing in the UEFA Europa Conference League meaning no English teams remain in the Champions League or Europa League It's a stark reminder of the competitiveness of those tournaments and a longtime former Premier League player is not surprised that clubs from across the continent are faring so well former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Bacary Sagna explained why the gap between the Premier League and the rest of Europe is closing — even though he still feels the English top flight is the best “The gap between the Premier League and other European leagues is getting tighter and tighter – you have quality teams all over Europe," Sagna said "Germany have been doing well this season and when you look at a team like Bayer Leverkusen and teams are composed of more people now – analysts and the level is getting higher and higher It’s not surprising to see better teams and talent year after year “The Premier League is still the strongest for me but the gap is closing with other leagues.” Live on DAZN PPV: Canelo vs. Munguia on May 4.  Click here for details. has urged Arsenal to sign Italian star Riccardo Calafiori and has reportedly already submitted a transfer request Calafiori can play as a left-back and a centre-back and has attracted the attention of top European clubs following his performances for Bologna last season The Italy International helped Bologna secure a UEFA Champions League place for the 2024-25 season At the just concluded European championship Calafiori provided the assist in Italy’s 1-1 comeback draw against Croatia He missed the round of 16 defeat to Switzerland due to suspension Sagna believes the defender would be a good addition to Mikel Arteta’s Gunners urging his ex-club to sign him this summer “Riccardo Calafiori is very good – I’ve followed him a lot in Serie A this season “I’ve seen a lot of Bologna games and he’s one of the reasons they were able to qualify for the Champions League “He’s calm and composed on the ball- he can break lines by committing and help the side out offensively “He’d be a fantastic player for Arsenal he’d be a fantastic addition.” EPL: Chelsea to sign £35m midfielder after Maresca’s approval Transfer: He’s better than Bruno Fernandes – Parker names midfielder Man Utd should sign EPL: Didi Hamann advises Liverpool to hijack Arsenal’s target UCL: Ex-Liverpool striker hands Arteta game plan for Arsenal’s second leg with PSG The former France right-back scored his first Premier League goal and was injured in a game just weeks after his sibling's tragic passing Former Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna has opened up on his struggles with mental health after suffering a serious injury just weeks after the death of his brother died a day before his 28th birthday in February 2008 After being advised by his father to go back to England and keep playing Sagna scored his first Premier League goal in an important game against Chelsea but suffered a serious ankle ligament injury later in the match The defender says his Gunners team-mates helped him cope but that he didn’t truly open up about his pain “It’s hard to describe but nothing felt right,” Sagna told Arsenal’s official website. “In my head I knew exactly what I could bring to the team but my body couldn’t do it. Some days I would feel like a robot. I used to drive there and not even remember the way I went. “I never spoke to anyone about it. People who know me know that I’m naturally quiet. It’s not in my nature to show off. I would turn up, train, give me best and then if I have to step forward, I will, but I’m naturally quiet and I would never ask for help. “My team-mates obviously knew something was wrong because they were living with me. They were so good with me, they made me laugh so much and they were good. “I actually remember Gael Clichy taking me to a show called Africa Africa in London, at the O2. I knew Gael from the national team and he was really close to me. He really helped me. All the guys, they made me laugh and made me realise that I'm still blessed, no matter what happened. “It's a blessing and I had to go forward. Everyone was good at the club, even the coach, everyone talked to me in a way to help me.” Sagna says speaking to a psychologist at the club was the biggest step in working through his grief. “Like I said, I never asked anyone for help,” he said. “That’s why I have Neil, one of the psychologists, to thank. “It was a night before a game, I remember it so well. ‘Bac, can I talk to you?’ he said.‘Yes, of course.’ ‘Well, I’ve noticed that you’re here but you’re not here.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘I’ve been watching you for a while and you’re here but your mind is somewhere else. What’s on your mind?’ “So we talked. I opened up to him, and it helped. “I felt like I’d let go and that it was time for me to step up. It was time for me to just enjoy the fact I was wearing the shirt. It wasn’t down to anyone else, it was up to me to put my head down and work hard. Little by little, I came back to my best. “I got my confidence back, I was more decisive and I was playing better football. I thought differently. “Football used to be everything but then once the 90 minutes are over, there are other things. Those other things are important to talk about, too.” The Ukrainian winger arrived last season with plenty of expectation but struggled to meet those targets as he failed in front of goal there have been green shoots so far this season and many supporters still think he can be an important player for the club He had also been linked with Arsenal before he joined the Blues and former Gunner Sagna thinks that in time there will be a player worth sticking with He told Lord Ping: “I expect Mudryk to fulfil the promise he has at Chelsea and develop into a world-class player. For me, he is already a top, top player. “He joined the club when there were a lot of problems. There was a lot of negative energy at Chelsea and the players were suffering from a lack of confidence. “It’s not easy for a young player to come to a new club in a new country and perform straight away. It is even more difficult to do that when you join a club for a huge amount of money. People expect players that cost £100 million to win games on their own, but football doesn’t work like that. “He joined a team that had no confidence. It would be unrealistic for people to think that he would be Chelsea’s saviour. Football is a vibe, and you need all of your players to be in a good place to get the best out of them. “I think Mudryk’s performances are getting better. He is starting to adapt to the league and is improving with every game. He needs time to develop but he has shown some encouraging signs this season.” but is the best central defender in the Premier League Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 but then spent three years on loan The 22-year-old is now a full French international and a first-team regular at the Emirates and Arsenal are on course to once again challenge for the Premier League after their attempt last season Speaking to Genting Casino Sagna discussed just how influential the player is for Arsenal He said: “I think he is Arsenal’s most important player Arsenal started to lose points because he is the pillar of the defence I think Arsenal could have been champions if Saliba stayed fit “There aren’t many players that can keep Erling Haaland He is humble; he never shows off on the pitch after he does something well He does things on the pitch naturally and performs his job perfectly “I think Saliba is the best centre back in the league he will continue to get better and better.” The former Gunner's words have left his old team-mate feeling disappointed with the man who was charged with captaining the squad Bacary Sagna has hit back at Cesc Fabregas after his comments about Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri being the only two players on his level during his latter years at Arsenal During an appearance on the Arsecast podcast Fabregas spoke at length about his time in north London and his reasons for leaving for Barcelona in 2011 The Spaniard questioned the mentality of some of his former team-mates and admitted he felt that only Van Persie and Nasri were on the same wavelength as him both in terms of their technique and their mentality I always felt so much pressure on myself,” said Fabregas who is now playing his football with Monaco I used to go home after we lost and I used to cry I used to spend sleepless nights suffering thinking about where they will be going out later we were playing beautiful football and I enjoyed that side of things "But I was putting pressure on myself to lead "Especially in the last two or three years I felt Robin and Samir were the only players who were at my level mentally and technically But those comments have not gone down well with Sagna Arsenal’s former right-back who was a team-mate of Fabregas from 2007 until 2011 when the midfielder forced through his move to Barcelona the France international - who was named in the Premier League team of the year in 2008 and 2011 - admitted he had been left surprised by Fabregas’ views And Sagna believes his former captain should have focused on some of his own limitations before questioning others “I was surprised to read this,” said the 37-year-old “From him I was surprised because he was supposed to be one of the leaders of the team he was one of the great prospects and as a leader and a true player “So I was surprised because he is a nice guy “Arsenal made him so saying that some players were not at his level was a bit harsh because I’m not sure out of all the seasons he was playing at the club “At that time the press was talking about him not running enough or tracking back So other players could have said ‘you should be running more or doing more’ because we didn’t have the right spirit at that time we didn’t make this little extra push or make that little extra run to track players but this is not a reason to speak in that way about other players It’s his opinion and he’s right to have an opinion but we all have good moments and bad moments in our career and I’m not sure he always had great moments with Arsenal but maybe some people were expecting more from him.” What promises to be a busy offseason for the Montreal Impact started with the announcement veteran defenders Rod Fanni and Bacary Sagna are among a group of players who will not have their contract option for 2019 not exercised The Impact failed to make the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs in Remi Garde’s first season as head coach. After the season, which saw Montreal finish seventh, four points below the playoff line in the East, the club announced the mutual parting of ways with technical director Adam Braz SPOILER ALERT: It's more a valedictory than a grade People everywhere always undervalue defenders and that just throwing a few warm bodies behind the ball is good enough as long as you have a cadre of attackers that do FIFA tricks in their sleep  I started watching Arsenal in the days of the Adams/Bould/Keown/Winterburn back line and watching them every week really gave me an appreciation for what defeders are supposed to do and how they should do it That line was well-drilled; they all knew where to be and when to be there Bacary Sagna is a modern defender who is a total throwback; he doesn't try to bomb up the wings much  All he really wants to do is shut down an attack and start an Arsenal move He does this better than almost any Arsenal defender in the last 10 years; he was instrumental in Arsenal's strong start this season and despite a few games where he was kind of invisible he had a pretty amazing year again this year and his bad games were games where everyone else played badly as well so it's not like a Sagna mistake has ever cost Arsenal a game by itself  That's a pretty ideal quality for a defender but I under$tand why he's £eaving; unlike other Arsenal leavers lately and with mine and TSF's best wishes for a great rest of his career  Except when he goes up against Arsenal fans and pundits alike search for reasons as to why the Red Devils are struggling on all fronts Their most recent loss was a demoralising 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen earlier this week in the Champions League in which the Danish side scored twice in the final 10 minutes to secure the victory That result dropped United to dead last in Group A with just two matches remaining and it followed a run of games in which the Red Devils lost back-to-back 3-0 games before grabbing a 1-0 victory over Fulham in stoppage time more observers are looking at Bruno Fernandes' role as captain as part of the problem at Old Trafford Fernandes has found an unlikely ally amid the scrutiny as former Manchester City and Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has thrown his support behind the Portugal international Speaking to Paddy Power, Sagna said that Fernandes gets flack due to his on-field demeanour, which may not be a fair assessment of his leadership skills. “The one person who decides who the captain should be is the manager, and Erik ten Hag sees Bruno Fernandes on a regular basis, and he knows him better than anyone," Sagna said.  "He’s the best person to assess the ability of someone to be captain.   “He chose Bruno Fernandes as captain because he saw leadership qualities and he’s a winner. "He might have the wrong body language and gets upset sometimes but that’s because he’s looking for perfection. "Can we criticise a player for not being happy if another player isn’t performing?" While some may not like Fernandes' method of communication on the pitch, Sagna feels the way the United captain vocalises during matches is appropriate. “Fernandes is trying to push everyone on, and no one likes bad body language, but I try to look at it from another point of view. "It’s important to have a captain who is vocal and talks a lot when things aren’t going well – that's why they are captains."