Cheikhou Kouyate is using his Premier League experience to help young people in his home country of Senegal.

The West Ham midfielder has helped set up a team with his agent in his home town with the aim of providing experience for aspiring players.

Kouyate said: “There is a team called Africa Foot, which is in Senegal where I grew up. There is a new team there and training ground and everything, which I arranged with my agent.

“Senegal is a football country and everyone loves the game. There are two or three million youngsters trying to get into the game so if we can do anything to help them then that is fantastic.”

Pellegrini plays down Aguero fears

Manuel Pellegrini played down Sergio Aguero’s latest injury after the striker limped out of Man. City’s defeat of Southampton.

Aguero, making only his third appearance since returning from a hamstring problem, appeared in some discomfort as he left the field after 64 minutes of City’s 3-1 league win at home.

Pellegrini said: “I spoke with Sergio before the game and he was not going to play more than 65 minutes. In the last play he received a kick in his heel.

“We will see but I don’t think it was anything important.”

Juve join hunt for Croatia’s Kramaric

Juventus have joined the race for the signature of striker Andrej Kramaric, currently on the books of Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester.

The 24-year-old Croatia international has been forced to sit most of the matches to make way for the in-form Jamie Vardy.

This season Kramaric has only managed 12 minutes of league football and reports said he is eager for a move with the Serie A his likely destination if Leicester decide to let him go.

Reports said Juve, who had tried to sign Kramaric before he joined Leicester, have already made contact with his agent as both Inter and Milan are also showing interest.

Simeone positive after Tiago mishap

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says injury-stricken midfielder Tiago is already plotting his recovery after breaking his leg in the win over Espanyol.

The Portuguese was taken off during the first half of the match at the Vicente Calderon.

The injury is expected to rule the 34-year-old out for the rest of the season, but Simeone tried to stay positive after the 1-0 win.

“Tiago got injured but we are already counting the days until he will return,” the coach told reporters.

“He has enormous energy and he will return when the time is right and he feels good. I want to send him the energy of the club, the fans and the playing staff and to tell him we love him a lot.”

Olsson hopeful Ibra will play in England

West Brom defender Jonas Olsson has urged Sweden team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic to change his mind and come to England.

Olsson wants the 34-year-old striker to move to the Premier League when his PSG contract expires next summer.

Recently, Ibrahimovic said he believes it is “too late” to move across the Channel after playing in Spain, Holland, Italy and France. But Olsson is keen to see his international captain in England for a career swansong.

“He’s still at the top of his game and I really hope he comes,” the West Brom centre-back said.

“Zlatan on his day is the most talented footballer and the only place where he’s not 100 per cent appreciated is in the UK.”

Skripnik won’t quit

Werder Bremen coach Viktor Skripnik is remaining defiant in the wake of a 3-1 defeat at home to rivals Hamburg.

Their eighth defeat in their last 10 games has left Bremen three points above the bottom three.

“We need to hold our nerves and look ahead,” Skripnik said.

“If we can improve this squad in winter, then I certainly would not have anything against that.”

The situation is a far cry from how it was after four games of the season. They have won only twice since then.

Director of sport Thomas Eichin said he is “not going to start discussing the coach’s future just because Werder have lost five games at home”.

Niang worth the wait for Milan

Milan forward M’Baye Niang said that he’d been waiting a long time to make an impact in Serie A after finally scoring his first league goals for the Rossoneri on Saturday, three years after signing for the club.

The 20-year-old, who has suffered a number of injuries and gone away on loan twice since signing from Caen, struck twice in a 4-1 win over Sampdoria on Saturday.

“I am very happy, as I’d been waiting a long time for a night like that,” Niang said.

“All the hard work paid off and I hope to continue like this. I like to play as a centre-forward. I prefer to play in attack, as I can keep the ball up in front of goal.

“I want to thank (Milan team-mate) Mario Balotelli, as he sent me a text after the game.”

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