A former Chelsea striker has launched a brand new football academy in Africa worth a sizeable $4.5 million (R18.5 million).
According to Wiw Sports, retired marksman Demba Ba's newly launched academy will be constructed on a 10-hectare area at Roff Village in the locality of Malicounda in Senegal.
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"I don't know if you are aware, but, yes, I bought a club which is based in the Thies region and which plays in the second division," Ba said, according to Goal.
"It is this club that I am in the process of developing and these infrastructures will allow us to be able to achieve excellence.
"In football, if you want to reach the top level, you need good infrastructure."
The French-born ex-Senegal forward will also be building a maternity ward and a youth centre in the area in conjunction with the local authority in Malicounda.
Mor Fassa Ndiaye, director of cabinet of the mayor of Malicounda, confirmed that Ba has "already launched construction work on a maternity hospital at a cost of 30 million CFA francs (about R804 950) and a youth centre for the same amount.
"He also granted five sets of complete jerseys to ASCs, 10 competition balls, in addition to a million as an annual subsidy."
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Ba, who made 22 appearances for the Lions of Teranga, infamously ended Liverpool's title hopes in the 2013/14 campaign when he pounced on a Steven Gerard slip in a match Chelsea eventually won 2-0, effectively handing Manchester City the Premier League crown that season.
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