ARSENAL HAVE REACHE A MEGA SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH DEEL

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Arsenal have reached a massive sponsorship agreement with Deel. The global payroll powerhouse is also believed to replace the Visit Rwanda sleeve patch on the iconic Arsenal jersey. 

It is understood, Chelsea were closing in on an agreement with Deel as a exclusive shirt sponsor which fell through when Arsenal presented their global scalability power in comparison to the West London Blue club. 

#Arsenal #Deel #sponsorship #thefunners

PSG SET TO WRAP UP LIGUE 1 ANID PROTESTS OVER 'VISIT RWANDA' DEAL

Paris Saint-Germain's head coach Luis Enrique (left) as well as Achraf Hakimi (second left), Vitinha and Nuno Mendes (right) announced contract extensions with the club before the Ligue 1 game against Monaco at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 7 February 2025.

Four days after reaching the final of the 2025 Coupe de France, Paris Saint-Germain's constellation of international stars are set to wrap up a record 13th top-flight crown. Just before the game against Angers on Saturday afternoon at the Parc des Princes, protesters are expected outside the stadium to complain about a PSG sponsorship deal with the international marketing arm of the Rwandan government.

PSG's anticipated stroll to glory comes as part of the preparations for next Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final clash against Aston Villa – who sport several nicknames including 'The Villans'.

PSG diehards would consider it a crime against footballing justice were their heroes to head to the second leg in Birmingham, central England, without a healthy advantage over The Villa – one of the other sobriquets.

In February, in the last-16 of the Champions League, PSG outplayed Premier League pacesetters Liverpool, who sit a good 20 points ahead of Aston Villa in the English championship, to reach the last eight.

The tie finished 1-1 on aggregate and when PSG won the penalty shoot-out, there was unanimity amongst analysts and pundits that the better side over two legs had advanced.

On Friday, PSG boss Luis Enrique urged the players to keep the focus and intensity that has brought a 27-game unbeaten streak in Ligue 1.

“Maintaining this level will help us better prepare for the final of the Coupe de France and a possible Champions League semi-final,” said the 54-year-old Spaniard.

- Paul Myers

DRC CONGO ASKS CLUBS TO END VISIT RWANDA SPONSORSHIP, BAYERN, PSG TO END RWANDA SPONSORSHIP

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner has urged soccer clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain to end their "blood-stained" sponsorship agreements with "Visit Rwanda" following the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.

The DR Congo health ministry said on Saturday there were almost 800 bodies in hospital morgues around Goma following the offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels to seize east Congo's largest city, home to lucrative gold, coltan and tin mines.

The latest escalation has worsened a long-standing humanitarian crisis that has driven hundreds of thousands to seek shelter in Goma after fleeing fighting between M23 and Congolese troops.

The fighting has led to human rights violations including summary executions, the bombing of displacement camps, reports of gang rape and other sexual violence, according to the United Nations.

Wagner wrote to the three clubs this week and questioned the morality of their sponsorship deals, citing a U.N. report that suggested there were 4,000 Rwandan troops active in DR Congo.

"Thousands are currently trapped in the city of Goma with restricted access to food, water, and security," Wagner said in her letters to the clubs, according to a media statement from her ministry on Sunday.

Democratic Republic of Congo's foreign minister Therese  Kayikwamba speaks during a National Security Council meeting. Reuters 

"Countless lives have been lost; rape, murder and theft prevail. Your sponsor is directly responsible for this misery. If not for your own consciences, then the clubs should do it (end their sponsorship agreement) for the victims of Rwandan aggression."

Rwanda says it is defending itself, accusing Congo's military of joining forces with ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda, where Hutus targeted Tutsis in a 1994 genocide and some later fled to Congo.

Congo denies this and accuses Rwanda of using M23 to pillage valuable minerals from Congolese territory.

"Visit Rwanda" began their sponsorship of Arsenal in 2018, with the latest deal reported to be worth more than 10 million pounds ($12.39 million) per year.

Bayern Munich signed a five-year football development and tourism promotion partnership with Rwanda in 2023, while "Visit Rwanda" has been a sponsor of PSG since 2019.

Reuters has contacted the three clubs and "Visit Rwanda" for comment.

British foreign minister David Lammy told parliament on Tuesday Rwanda received over $1 billion in global aid every year, including around 32 million pounds of bilateral UK assistance, but "all of that is under threat when you attack your neighbours."

($1 = 0.8071 pounds)

- Reuters