In the past two years, Salah and Mane have continued their great performance. They have also become the benchmarks for African players in European professional football world, but have they become the best African players in the history of Premier League? Let’s look at the list of top 10 African players in Premier League history.
10. Yakubu
Yakubu has played for teams such as Portsmouth, Everton, Blackburn and Middlesbrough, and he has become one of the most frightening Premier League forwards. In the 250 Premier League matches, Yakubu scored 96 goals.
9. Sadio Mane
The 26-year-old Senegal winger stunned the Premier League after joining in Southampton in 2014. In the game with Villa, it took only 2 minutes and 56 seconds to get a hat trick, becoming the fastest player to achieve a hat trick in the history of the Premier League. His amazing performance made him move to Liverpool for £34 million in the summer of 2016.
Mane reached a new height in Liverpool. After scoring 13 goals in 27 Premier League games, he won the club’s Player of the Year award in his first season at Anfield.
Although he scored fewer goals in the second season, he scored 10 goals in the Champions League and was one of the heroes of the Red Army to reach the Champions League final.
8. Okocha
After the Nigerian star left Freedom in 2002, he came to the Bolton team in Allardyce. Okocha played 145 games in four years and was hailed by Bolton fans as the second best player in the club history.
7. Nwankovo Kanu
In 1999, Kanu was transferred to the Premier League Arsenal for a price of 4.15 million euros. In the 1999/2000 season, Kanu played for Arsenal 50 times and scored 17 goals. But with Henry becoming the core of the Arsenal frontline, Kanu’s chances are getting less and less. After winning the 2002 double crown with Arsenal, the 2003 FA Cup, and the 2003/04 Premier League unbeaten, Kanu left Arsenal and moved freely to West Bromwich Football Club.
6. Adebayor
Adebayor debuted in Metz in Ligue 1 in 2001. Since then, Adebayor has played for Monaco, Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and other clubs. In 2008, Adebayor was elected as the African Footballer. He scored 97 Premier League goals.
5. Mo Salah
Salah scored 44 goals in the 17-18 season and became the most scored player in Liverpool’s history. Among them, Salah scored 32 goals in the Premier League, which broke the Premier League single-season scoring record and helped him win the Premier League Golden Boots. He is also officially selected the best player of PFA, FWA, Premier League and helping Liverpool to reach the Champions League final.
4. Mahrez
In the 2015-16 season, Mahrez scored 17 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League, won the Premier League MVP, and led Leicester City to win the Premier League title. This summer, Mahrez joined the defending champion Manchester City, the transfer fee reaches 60 million pounds.
3. Essien
In 2005, Essien moved from Lyon to Chelsea for £24.4 million, becoming the most expensive signing of Chelsea at that time. For nine years with Chelsea, he was once considered one of the best midfielders in the world.
2. Yaya Toure
Yaya Toure joined Manchester City in 2010 and played for the team for three years. He won three Premier League titles. Yaya Toure has also become the first midfielder of the Premier League. The defensive is hard and the offensive is strong. So many fans still call him the first B2B midfielder in the Premier League.
1. Drogba
Drogba is regarded as one of the best centre forwards in the Premier League. His impact, speed and physique are excellent. He can shot from any angle and position. It is a combination of strength and skill. Scored 157 goals in 341 games for the Blues Chelsea and is considered one of the club’s greatest players ever.
