Mohammed Salah, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane followed Didier Drogba, Micheal Essien, Solomon Kalou, Mikel Obi, Emmanuel Adebayor, the Toure brothers who followed Tony Yeboah, Jay Jay Okocha, Lucas Radebe’s and many more generations of African footballers who have dazzled in England.
Mohammed Salah is the last man still around in England in the last generation of the red-hot African stars in EPL.
In the 2023-24 season, the Egyptian starwalt was not at his best due to injuries and he even scored 18 goals and provided 10 assists. Wow, what a player the Egyptian superstar is. Even in a season that many think he performed below his usual best, he made 28 goals and assists contribution.
It is unknown whether the 31-year-old will move to Saudi Arabia or continue his incredible journey in England.
The 2023-24 season saw a new generation of African talented footballers announcing their presence in English football with so many incredible performances.
Who and who performed in England?
More than 50 African players were registered officially for the 2023-24 EPL season.
Here are the ones that stood out!
In London, Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus who joined Westham United from Ajax enjoyed a great debut season putting up so many eye-catching performances. Tottenham’s young Senegalese midfielder Pape Matar Sarr was so great in Spurs’ midfield as his energy, pressing and aggression made him one of the best young midfielders in the league.
In Chelsea, Nicholas Jackson received many criticisms for his poor finishing ability but was a torn in so many defences flesh as his pace and aggression made him a difficult striker to tame down.
Nigerian duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi deserve incredible attention as they were regulars for Marco Silva’s Fulham with decent performances.
Yoanne Wissa was probably the best player for Brentford. The dangerous forward stepped up in the absence of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo. The Congolese scored 12 goals and provided 12 assists for Brentford even in a very troubled season for the Bees.
Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana who conceded 58 goals started his Manchester United career with unpardonable blunders and was looking great nearing the end of the season.
In Wolves, Algerian left back, left wing back, midfielder and left forward, Ryan Ait Nouri, was superb and very useful due to his versatility as he exceeded expectations at just age 22 with so many wonderful performances.
Brighton’s Simon Adingra and Cameroon’s Carlos Baleba were so good for Roberto De Zerbi’s side. They have proven that they will improve shortly and won’t be surprised if they secure big-money moves to any of the top 6 sides.
Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo struggled in his maiden season with many thinking he was not ready yet for the EPL. In his sophomore season with Bournemouth, Semenyo has silenced his doubters with great performances under Spanish manager Andoni Iraola.
Taiwo Awoniyi got off to a great start to the season but injuries curtailed his momentum and never returned to his best. Ola Aina has been an integral part of the Nottingham Forest back four helping them to secure the EPL slot for next season. The Nigerian talented defender was one of the best African fullbacks in England.
Who wins the Best African Player in the 2023-24 Season in England?
It is quite difficult to pinpoint the one who stood out in the EPL in the just-ended season.
The top three will be Mohammed Kudus of Ghana, Algeria’s Ryan Ait Nouri and Yoanne Wissa of DR Congo. These players put up an eye-catching performance that was slightly above the others.
What to expect next season?
The transfer window is yet to be opened so we don’t know those who will move to different teams. Most of the African stars are youngsters and tested their strength in England. An improved performance is expected from most of them as they have the potential to rival all the top guys in the Premier League. Many new Africans are also expected to move to the top flight of English football in the 2024-25 season.
