-Ikenna Okafor
Super Eagles of Nigeria and Napoli of Italy goal poacher, Victor Osimhen has been ignored by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) when it announced the nominees for the 2022 African player of the year award yesterday.
Osimhen racked up 14 goals in 27 Serie A games whilst also scoring four times in five Europa League outings.
Former Liverpool teammates Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are among 10 stars shortlisted. Salah won the award in 2017 and 2018 and Mane in 2019. The 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mane moved to Bayern Munich last month while Salah signed an extension to his contract at Anfield.
Playing key roles as Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time this year and qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could give Mane the edge over Salah.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Rabat on 21 July after the captains and coaches of African national teams, CAF technical committee members and selected media vote.
2022 nominees below:Riyad Mahrez (Algeria, Manchester City/ENG), Karl Toko Ekambi (Cameroon, Lyon/FRA), Vincent Aboubacar (Cameroon, Al Nassr/KSA), Sebastien Haller (Ivory Coast, Borussia Dortmund/GER), Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool/ENG), Naby Keita (Guinea, Liverpool/ENG), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Edouard Mendy (Senegal, Chelsea/ENG), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal, Napoli/ITA), Sadio Mane (Senegal, Bayern Munich/GER)
African Player of the Year award: CAF ignores Osimhen, shortlists Mane