Bolasie up for African award

Everton winger Yannick Bolasie has been nominated for the 2016 African Player of the Year award.

Bolasie has enjoyed a memorable year so far, helping Crystal Palace reach the FA Cup final before joining Everton for £26million in the summer.

The DR Congo forward also helped his country reach the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations which takes place in Gabon this January.

However, the 27-year-old will have to beat some stiff competition is he is to claim the final prize.

Also included on the 30-man shortlist are the likes of Leicester title winner and PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez, Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and former Everton striker Samuel Eto’o.

The winner will be announced at the CAF awards Gala in Nigeria on Thursday January 5.

The full shortlist is:

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City)

El Arabi Hillel Soudani (Algeria & Dinamo Zagreb)

Islam Slimani (Algeria & Leicester City)

Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon & Antalyaspor)

Benjamin Mounkandjo (Cameroon & Lorient)

Serge Aurier (Cote d’Ivoire & PSG)

Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United)

Yao Kouasi Gervais ‘Gervinho’ (Cote d’Ivoire & Hebei Fortune)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma)

Mohamed Elneny (Egypt & Arsenal)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Dortmund)

Andre Ayew (Ghana & West Ham)

Victor Wanyama (Kenya & Tottenham)

William Jebor (Liberia &a Wydad Athletic Club)

Mehdi Benatia (Morocco & Juventus)

Hakim Ziyech (Morocco & Ajax)

John Mikel Obi (Nigeria & Chelsea)

Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria & Manchester City)

Ahmed Musa (Nigeria & Leicester City)

Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal)

Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo & Everton)

Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)

Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal & Napoli)

Keegan Dolly (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)

Itumeleng Khune (South Africa & Kaizer Chiefs)

Mbwana Samatta (Tanzania & Genk)

Aymen Abdennour (Tunisia & Valencia)

Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia & Sunderland)

Dennis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)

Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)