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‘Drogba was something special’ – Salah certainly not Africa’s Premier League greatest, says Yakubu

‘Drogba was something special’ – Salah certainly not Africa’s Premier League greatest, says Yakubu

by Niyi Busari,
Oct 27, 2021
in NFF

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Retired Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni believes that Chelsea icon Didier Drogba is the best African player in history to grace the English Premier League, BSNSports.com.ng gathered. Mohamed Salah has not yet eclipsed Chelsea legend Didier Drogba when it comes to naming the greatest African in Premier League history, according to Nigerian football icon Yakubu Ayegbeni.

The Egypt international’s hat-trick in Liverpool’s 5-0 decimation of Manchester United saw him overtake the Ivorian to become the highest-scoring African player in the Premier League with 107 goals. His treble against the Red Devils at Old Trafford saw him match Fred Howe’s record that has stood for 85 years.

Salah has scored three goals more than Drogba, while Sadio Mane (100), Emmanuel Adebayor (97) and Yakubu (95) complete the top five Africans.

"You cannot say Salah is the greatest African to play in the Premier League. Drogba was something special because he was scoring for fun," Ayegbeni told Goal. "However, you have to give Salah the credit for breaking the big legend’s record, which makes him one of the greatest Africans in the English top-flight, but for now, he is certainly not the greatest."

Yakubu praised Salah for his brilliant form after the former AS Roma star scored in a record-extending ten Liverpool appearances in a row in the hammering of Manchester United.

"All the same, we have to applaud the Egyptian for his fine form because it is not easy to play the way he is doing that right now – which is incredible," added Yakubu.

Aiyegbeni scored his 95 Premier League goals for four different clubs namely Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth.

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Niyi Busari

Award winning journalist, Niyi Busari, the Publisher and CEO of BSN Sports Concepts is one of the most celebrated Nigerian sports journalist of his generation. A"cross-over" professional, he combines the talents and abilities of a print and electronic journalist in a manner that is rare, even though his specialization is print. A graduate of Economics from the University of Abuja where he obtained his Bachelor Degree in 2015.

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