Two Ghanaian players named in CAF provisional list for Africa Best Player

Two Black Stars players have been named in a 30-man provisional list for the Confederation of Africa (CAF) Player of the year awards scheduled for Thursday January 4, 2018 in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

The Player of the year award is the top most of the individual awards to be given to footballers from across the African continent.

Atletico Madrid midfielder, Thomas Partey, as well as Newcastle United’s winger, Christian Astu, are the only Ghanaian players to make the 30-man provisional list, which will be shortlisted to three before the awards gala.

Both players were involved in the Black Stars’ fourth place finish at the 2017 African Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Partey has particularly impressed in the Black Stars in the 2018 World Cup qualifier having scored four goals so far in the campaign including a hat-trick against Congo in Brazaville.

The pair will face competitions from the likes of African champions Fabrice Ondoa, Vincent Aboubakar all of Cameroun and AFCON silver medalist Mohammed Salah of Egypt.

Coaches and Technical Directors of the various National Associations of CAF, members of CAF Technical and Development Committee as well as selected media will decide the winner through the ballot.

The award next year will have a different headline sponsor with Nigerian Oil Company Aiteo taking over as sponsors from telecommunication company Glo.

African Player of the Year

1. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly) 2. Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon) 3. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal) 4. Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle) 5. Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye) 6.Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns) 7. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United) 8. Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun) 9. Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla) 10. Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco) 11. Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice) 12. Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana)

The others are: 13. Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord) 14. Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco) 15. Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor) 16. Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk) 17. Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona) 18. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool) 19. Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto) 20. Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig).

The rest are: 21. Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns) 22. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund) 23. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool) 24. Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid) 25. Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea) 26. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto) 27. William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor) 28. Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto) 29. Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail) 30. Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille).