Yaya Toure up for fourth African player title

Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney charges through the Manchester City defence watched by Manchester City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure (left) during their English Premier League match at the The Etihad Stadium on November 2, 2014. PHOTO | PAUL ELLIS |

By  AFP

What you need to know:

  • Toure has won the past three awards in a list that also features his Ivory Coast teammate Gervinho of Roma, but not Cameroon's four-time winner Samuel Eto'o or double winner Didier Drogba of Chelsea.
  • Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama of Lille is the only Ligue 1 player nominated.

PARIS

Manchester City's Yaya Toure is one of 25 candidates in the running to be crowned African player of the year, the Confederation of African Football announced.

Toure has won the past three awards in a list that also features his Ivory Coast teammate Gervinho of Roma, but not Cameroon's four-time winner Samuel Eto'o or double winner Didier Drogba of Chelsea.

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Eto'o is the only player to win four awards and achieved that feat in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2010.

Algeria, who reached the World Cup second round for the first time in Brazil in July, have the most candidates with four players.

Sporting Lisbons's Islam Slimani, Rais Mbolhi of the Philadelphia Union as well as Valencia's, Sofiane Feghouli and Porto star Yacine Brahimi all feature in the list of 25.

Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama of Lille is the only Ligue 1 player nominated.

The winner will be announced on January 8 at Lagos.

NOMINEES (in alphabetical order, nationality/club):

Ahmed Musa (NGR/CSKA Moscow/RUS), Asamoah Gyan (GHA/Al Ain/UAE), Dame Ndove (SEN/Locomotiv Moscow/RUS), Emmanuel Adebayor (TOG/Tottenham/ENG), Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting (CAM/Schalke 04/GER).

Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (TUN/Sfax), Ferdiani Sassi (TUN/Sfax), Gervinho (CIV/Roma/ITA), Islam Slimani (ALG/Sporting Lisbon/POR), Kwadwo Asamoah (GHA/Juventus).

Mehdi Benatia (MAR/Bayern Munich/GER), Mohamed El Nenv (EGY/Basel/SUI), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB/Dortmund/GER), Rais M'Bolhi (ALG/Phildelphia Union/USA).

Sadio Mane (SEN/Southampton/ENG), Seydou Keita (MLI/Roma/ITA), Sofiane Feghouli (ALG/Valencia/ESP), Stephane Mbia (CMR/Sevilla/ESP), Thulani Serero (RSA/Ajax/NED).

Vincent Aboubakar (CMR/Porto/POR), Vincent Enyeama (NGR/Lille/FRA), Wlfried Bony (CIV/Swansea/ENG), Yacine Brahimi (ALG/Porto/POR), Yannick Bolasie (RDC/Crystal Palace/ENG), Yaya Toure (CIV/Manchester City/ENG).

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