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Africa boasts a plethora of current footballing superstars.
Liverpool’s Mo Salah and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen feature after a host of goalscoring campaigns.
PSG’s Achraf Hakimi and Man United’s Andre Onana also included.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
In today’s world, footballing talent can – and does – come from every corner of the world. South America’s seemingly never ending production line of superstars springs to mind, as too do the academies of some of Europe’s largest clubs, but there is another source that all too often seems to be overlooked; the continent of Africa.
Africa has given us some of the greatest players in Premier League history – Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Mohamed Salah, and both Yaya and Kolo Toure, to name but a few – as well as players such as Samuel Eto’o and George Weah, both of whom would be in any conversation when talking about the very best to do it in their position. But who are the best and most successful African talents at present? Below, GIVEMESPORT ranks the current 10 best African players in World football, as well as exploring their current market value, and potential future moves.
1 Victor Osimhen
Current market value: £84m
Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring
One of the most in-demand players in world football, Napoli’s Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen is undoubtedly one of the world’s most talented players at present, let alone Africa’s. With 65 goals in 108 league appearances since making the move to Italy, the Lagos-born star has catapulted himself into the big time, where he looks set to stay for many more years to come.
Having started his European journey at VfL Wolfsburg in Germany, before subsequently moving to Charleroi and Lille, pre-Napoli, Osimhen is also just as lethal for his national side; having netted an impressive 21 times in just his 35 appearances for the Super Eagles. Breaking Rashidi Yekini’s all-time record of 37 goals looks a near inevitability.
Victor Osimhen’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
39
Goals
18
Assists
4
Rating
6.97
2 Achraf Hakimi
Current market value: £51m
Achraf Hakimi of PSG
Last season was another strong year for PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, with the attacking wing-back registering 13 goal contributions (six goals, seven assists) across all competitions, for both his domestic and international side. The Moroccan also added another league title to this name – his third in the French capital – along with a Coupe de France.
A player who is very much at the forefront of the reinvention of the traditional full-back position, Hakimi’s penetrative and direct attacking runs, coupled with his blistering pace, has made him one of the most deadly wide players in world football at present. At just 25 years of age, Hakimi has also assembled a somewhat enviable CV to date, already having plied his trade for Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and now Paris Saint-Germain.>>>CONTINUE FULL READING HERE
Achraf Hakimi’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
44
Tackles Per 90 Minutes
1.5
Dribbles Per 90 Minutes
0.9
Rating
7.00
3 Mohamed Salah
Current market value: £46m
Salah-1
Whilst we are more than likely entering the twilight years of Mohamed Salah’s truly remarkable career, the clinical Egyptian retains his place as one of the most talented and capable forwards in the Premier League – as evidenced by his 28 goal contributions, in just 32 league appearances last season.
Undoubtedly one of the best African players of all time, the only real question that remains for Liverpool’s Salah is whether or not he will be able to chase down Hossam Hassan’s goal record for Egypt; with Salah currently sat 11 goals behind Hassan’s total of 68, albeit with a few more years representing The Pharaohs still ahead of him.
Mohamed Salah’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
46
Goals
26
Assists
14
Rating
7.15
4 Andre Onana
Current market value: £30m
Andre Onana
From a Premier League great, to a man who many feel is still yet to show his best in the world’s most competitive league, Manchester United’s Andre Onana has had somewhat of a baptism of fire since joining last summer.
Thrown into a back line in complete disarray, and routinely exposed by United’s tactic of seemingly trying to face as many shots each game as they physically can, Onana has still managed to show that he is a more than capable shot stopper. With defensive reinforcements on the way ahead of the coming season, many United fans will be hoping that the best is still to come from their Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Andre Onana’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
52
Passes Per 90 Minutes
35.4
Clean Sheets
13
Rating
6.70
5 Serhou Guirassy
Current market value: £34m
Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy in action .
Prior to his astonishing season for VFb Stuttgart last time out, there weren’t many who would have been familiar with the goal-scoring ability of Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy. 30 appearances, and 30 goals later, however, he is now one of Europe’s most well-known goalscorers – with a record to rival near anyone across Europe.
With a release clause of just £17m said to be included within his current contract, a move away looks to be beckoning for Guirassy – with last season’s Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund reportedly circling. There will no doubt be others sniffing around Guirassy, however, so watch this space.
Serhou Guirassy’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
32
Goals
30
Assists
2
Rating
7.58
6 Mohammed Kudus
Current market value: £42m
Mohammed Kudus in action for West Ham
Mohammed Kudus lit up the Premier League last season, following his £38m move from Ajax to West Ham United, and fans of the Ghanian will be hoping for more of the same next year. Long-touted as a player with a bright future, Kudus has taken his game to new levels over the past 12 months, almost matching his career best total of 18 goals in a season, in just his first season in England (14).
Not just a goal threat through his own scoring ability, Kudus provided a further seven goals for his teammates last season, and also chalked up a remarkable 3.5 dribbles completed per 90 minutes. A big money move has been touted, with former manager Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United said to be long-time admirers, but Hammers fans will no doubt be hoping that they can hold onto their African gem for a few more seasons yet.
Mohammed Kudus’ Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
49
Fouled Per 90 Minutes
2
Pass Success
85.6%
Rating
7.39
7 Victor Boniface
Current market value: £34m
Victor Boniface celebrates for Bayer Leverkusen
As far as first seasons go at a new club, Victor Boniface’s first year at Bayer Leverkusen hasn’t been a bad one. Claiming both the Bundesliga title, and the DFB-Pokal in his debut season – as well as losing out in the Europa League final – Boniface was a key component of a Leverkusen side that made history, becoming the first Bundesliga team ever to go a whole campaign unbeaten.
Despite missing almost three months of the season through injury, Nigerian-born Boniface still managed to find the back of the net 21 times across all competitions, finishing the year as the second highest-scoring African player in the Bunesliga – losing out only to number five on our list today, Serhou Guirassy.
Victor Boniface’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
33
Goals
21
Assists
9
Rating
7.39
West Ham United technical director Tim Steidten, incoming boss Julen Lopetegui and chairman David Sullivan
West Ham United have pinpointed Victor Boniface as a target after playing a crucial role in Bayer Leverkusen’s successful season
8 Edmond Tapsoba
Current market value: £38m
edmond-tapsoba-bayer-leverkusen
Staying with the theme of Bayer Leverkusen, next on our list is powerful centre back Edmond Tapsoba. Very much the modern defender, with his height, speed, strength, and technical ability, Tapsoba has been making a name for himself as one of Europe’s most exciting defensive prospects, ever since making the move to Leverkusen almost five seasons ago.
Now, less a prospect, than the ready-made complete package, Tapsoba’s presence at the back and versatility on the ball has helped him emerge as a favorite of manager Xabi Alonso, and has again seen him linked with some of Europe’s largest clubs. Both Manchester United and Liverpool have been rumoured to be interested previously, as too have Paris Saint-Germain.
Edmond Tapsoba’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
49
Tackles Per 90 Minutes
1.1
Clearances Per 90 Minutes
2
Rating
6.76
9 Yves Bissouma
Current market value: £29m
yves-bissouma-tottenham-hotspur
Yves Bissouma’s stock has been slowly rising, ever since his move to the Premier League in 2018. An impressive four-year spell at Brighton, which saw him establish himself as one of the division’s best box-to-box midfielders, persuaded Tottenham to spend £30m on the Malian in June 2022, with Bissouma having gone on to make 56 appearances for his new club in the seasons that have followed.
Despite not having torn up too many trees at his new club, Bissouma has continued excelling in much the same way he did at previous club Brighton; quietly, but effectively.
Yves Bissouma’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
32
Tackles Per 90 Minutes
2.8
Clearances Per 90 Minutes
1.5
Rating
6.72
10 Nicolas Jackson
Current market value: £29m
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson in action
Bringing things to a close on our list today, is Chelsea and Senegal’s Nicolas Jackson. Derided by some in his debut campaign in England – with several of his high-profile misses having gone viral – Jackson still finished the season with 17 goals to his name in all competitions; a figure that is impressive both due to his newness to the division, but also due to his relatively young age of just 23.
Conor Gallagher is a key player for England off the bench and he won’t decide his future until the Three Lions return home – victorious or not
Still to deliver for his national side, with zero goals across his first 14 international appearances, Jackson still has time on his side when it comes to developing and ironing out the few creases that do still remain in his game. If he can do exactly that, however, both Chelsea and Senegal have a talented forward on their hands, and one who may yet reach the very top of the game.
Nicolas Jackson’s Key Statistics 2023/2024
Appearances
48
Goals
17
Assists
5
