2010/2011 SEASON ROUND-UP: TOP 10 AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS IN EUROPE

Story by VERUS Nartey

With the huge invasion of African footballers in Europe, competition for top spot is imminent. All the major European leagues- EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga etc can boast of many top African players. From Mikel Obi to Samuel Eto’ O, the name of the game is “to out-shine”; and many have played major roles in their clubs recent success (or failure).

England and France are the two most populated areas for African players. This is Blackachieverz.com’s presentation of the top ten players who have had the biggest impact in the 2010/11 season. [Don’t worry; the list will surely include your favorite players as most positions are won jointly]

No. 10>

JOHN OBI MIKEL (CHELSEA)

One of two Nigerian Internationals to make the list, midfielder Mikel was amongst six regular Chelsea players since the beginning of the Season. Half way through, his form dropped and became a bench material till after January. Mikel was involved in a controversial transfer to England from Lyn Oslo (Norway). After a deal was struck with Manchester United, Chelsea claimed they already agreed with his agent.

After much debate involving Chelsea, United, Lyn Oslo and FIFA, Chelsea decided to settle, according to the agreement Chelsea paid Manchester United 12 Million Pounds and Lyn Oslo 4 Million. Chelsea agreed and Mikel made his debut in September of 2006. Since 2 goals in his first season (2006/7), he is yet to score a goal for Chelsea in the past four Seasons.

No. 9>

ALEX SONG (ARSENAL)

The Cameroonian International joined Arsenal in September 2005 against Everton as substitute. He is a defensive midfielder and has also played as a center back when required. He has matured in the last couple of season and now makes the Arsenal starting-11 regularly.

Apart from his regular action for the Gunners all season, he appears in this list also for his excellent performance in Arsenal's win against Barcelona in the 2011 Champions League quarter-final first leg. He is so comfortable playing alongside Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie. In 42 appearances in 2010-11, he has managed 5 goals and 4 assists.

NO. 8

(S. PIENAAR and KEVIN P. BOATENG)

S. PIENAAR (TOTTENHAM)

In January 2011, both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspurs had bids accepted to buy Pienaar from Everton before the South African joined Spurs for a 3milion Pounds Sterling fee on a 4-year contract.

On January 25, 2011 he made his Spurs debut in the 1-1 draw away to Newcastle United, playing 87 minutes before being substituted. He has yet to score a goal but can boast of influential support in the middle of the field. His last major appearance for the season was as a second half sub in Spurs' 2-1 loss to Chelsea.

South African International was a key players in the "Bafana Bafana" line-up for the last World Cup in his home country. His scanty 7 appearances this season have yielded no goal this season.

KEVIN P. BOATENG (A.C. MILAN)

Kevin-Prince Boateng transferred to Italian Serie A club Genoa on 17 August 2010, and immediately joined A.C. Milan on loan, a deal which was switched to co-ownership. Several injuries interrupted his play after an impressive start at Milan.

The 24-year-old came through the ranks at Hertha Berlin before a 2007 move to Tottenham Hotspur, a spell on loan at Borussia Dortmund and then Portsmouth.

The German-born midfielder, who unlike his brother Jerome, opted to pledge his international career to Ghana and became a huge star in the 2010 World Cup, has been very instrumental to A.C Milan's 18th Scudetto title win. On May 28, 2011, A.C Milan sealed a permanent ownership deal with K.P. He promised to do the Michael Jackson Moon Walk Dance on the pitch if A.C won this year’s title, and he did.

He made his debut home appearance for the Black Stars on June 3 (against Congo in a CAN 2012 qualifier) at the Accra Sports Stadium. In all he netted 3 goals in 24 appearances and has now become a first team regular in the Milan line-up.

NO. 7

YAYA TOURE (MANCHESTER CITY)

Yaya Toure is the first Ivorian to play for Barcelona before moving to Premier League side, Manchester City in the 2010/11 season.

A product of the famed ASEC Mimosas youth Academy in Abidjan, it was from the academy that he signed for Beveren in 2001 where he made his professional debut before joining Metalurh Donetsk in the Ukraine where he spent another two seasons.

In 2008/09 Toure helped Barca to an amazing treble culminating in a 2-0 win over Manchester United in the Uefa Champions League final where Toure played at centre back.

The 24 million pounds number 42-jerseyed attacking midfielder has scored 6 goals for City since August 14, 2011 and over all 12 in all competitions, helping City win this season's FA Cup, Yaya scoring the only goal against Stoke City His older brother, Kolo Toure played at Arsenal and now for Manchester City and has recently been banned for six months since May, after testing positive, of a banned chemical substance.

NO. 6

ASAMOAH GYAN (SUNDERLAND)

Starting off 2010 with his name in the Africa Cup of Nations Best XI; then to two-time Man of the Match in 2010 World Cup: Ghana vs. Australia/ Ghana vs. Serbia; and finally in the shortlist nominee (Top 23 players in the World) of the ultimate FIFA Ballon d'Or; then one was right to expect more than magic from the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2010 when he signed (club record breaking £13 million) deal on 31 August 2010 for Premier League club Sunderland on a four-year deal.

Gyan scored twice on his first Premier League start for the club in a 2–0 win against Stoke City on 6 November. He also scored a goal in Sunderland's 3–0 victory at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. Gyan's 11th goal came on April 23rd as Sunderland beat Wigan Athletic 4-2, a match which ended prematurely for the forward as he was substituted following a hamstring injury which saw him miss the remainder of the season. He has managed 11 goals in 33 games for Sunderland.

NO.6

SALOMON KALOU (CHELSEA)

Chelsea star, Salomon Kalou shares the sixth spot with the dangerous Ghanaian striker (Asamoah Gyan). After winning the coveted Dutch Football Talent of the Year award in 2005, he failed after massive persuasion by top stars to represent Holland, he joined Chelsea since the last five seasons.

Not always making the starting 11 like his African team mate, Essien, Kalou is one of the most dangerous subs in London. Appeared as a second half sub and scored the decisive goal in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Spurs late April. On April 19, 2011, he came on as a sub against Man United in the Champions League before starting and scoring against West Brom in the Premier League. In all, he has scored 13 goals in 45 appearances with 6 assists just last season.

NO.5

S. KEITA (BARCELONA)

Malian International, Seydou Keita has matured into a great player in recent seasons and now makes regular appearances for European Champions Barcelona.

Having been paired with Xavi Hernandez you can imagine his ability and skill. Seydou who has won the Champions League, La Liga and World Club Cup will look to end his career at the Catalans.

Though his 55 appearance for Barcelona in the 2010/11 has produced only 6 goals, he's one of the important subs Pep Guardiola would not like to let go this summer considering that just last August he signed a contract extension with the club till 2014.

NO.5

MICHAEL ESSIEN (CHELSEA)

He gets number 5 (his shirt's number) because of the limited game time he had beginning the 2010/2011 Season due to injury. However, he bounced back to help instrumentally in Chelsea's midfield.

Essien had been injured since the African Cup of Nation early last year and has been sidelined since, resulting in he missing his country Ghana's World Cup campaign in South Africa last June. However, when he returned after the World Cup, the Blues midfield general made the list for his performance in recent times; though not enough compared to his form two seasons ago.

Nonetheless he helped the Blues to a second position (behind Manchester United) this season and has early May announced returning to help his country the Black Stars after abandoning the team for about a year.

The U.N Ambassador on May 25 managed to pull some of the World’s biggest footballers led by Chelsea’s Ashely Cole (and a 40,000-crowd)to Accra for a Charity football game to support Peace on the continent. In 42 appearances, Michael has scored 4 goals.

NO.4

PETER ODEMWINGIE

Since signing a three-year contract at Premier League club West Bromwich Albion on August 10, for a fee of £1 million, he's bagged an impressive 15 goals. A day later, he scored the 81st-minute winning goal on his Premier League debut, a 1–0 win against Sunderland. Odemwingie scored a brace for West Brom on 5 December 2010, as they defeated fellow promoted side Newcastle United 3-1 at the Hawthorns. On 15 January 2011, he scored another brace in West Brom's 3-2 home win over Blackpool FC.

On 9 April, he announced his desire to keep on playing well for West Brom by aiming to score 15 league goals. On 16 April Odemwingie edged closer to this personal mark when he became West Brom's joint top goalscorer ever in a single season in the Premier League with a goal against Chelsea, bringing his tally to 12.

On 30 April, Odemwingie became the first player in West Brom's Premier League history to score in four consecutive games.

On 30 April 2011, Australian confectionary business owner and Albion fan Spencer Samaroo had promised to deliver a hamper of Australia's finest chocolate bars to Odemwingie should he reach 15 goals for the club this season (32 appearances)

NO.3

ANDRE AYEW (MARSEILLE)

The 2010/2011 Season has been one of the best (if not the very best) for André Morgan Rami Ayew, the son of 3-time African Footballer of the year, Abedi Pele. His more-than stable status at French Ligue 1 Champion Club Olympique de Marseille has yielded 12 goals and 3 assists in 44 games this season.

After the successful league campaign with Arles-Avignon, on 16 May 2010, Marseille manager Didier Deschamps confirmed that Ayew would be returning to the team and that he will be earning some significant playing time with the club for the 2010–11 season. On 5 August, Ayew (Born on 17 December 1989 in France) signed a three-year contract extension with Marseille. The new deal keeps him at the club until June 2014. Despite the arrival of Loïc Rémy, Ayew was inserted as a starter by Deschamps and scored his first goal in the second league match of the season against Valenciennes in a 3–2 defeat. On 27 April 2011, Ayew scored his first professional hat-trick in a 4–2 victory over Nice. His younger brother, Jordan, converted the other goal for Marseille in the win. Because of his outstanding performances throughout the season, Ayew was nominated for Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season, along with Marvin Martin and Yann M'Vila. On May 28, 2011, he won Olympique de Marseilles’ Player of the Year Award, a honour which was presented to him by his father, Abedi Ayew Pele. He has denied rumours that he will be heading to England (where he is linked to Manchester United and Tottenham) next Season.

NO.2

DIDIER DROGBA (CHELSEA)

The captain of the Ivorian National team and Chelsea's no.1 hit man missed his closest opportunity of grabbing a fourth Premier League title at Stamford Bridge last season.

The one-time Europe's most feared striker scored only 13 goals in 41 appearances compared to last year's whopping 37 in 44 appearances [beating goal machine, Wayne Rooney] to carry the golden boot and the league title. This year a hard-fought second position was all he could secure for the Blues.

Over a month's suffering from Malaria weighed on Chelsea's African highest goal scorer of all times. That low performance got him at number two alongside Real Madrid's Emmanuel Adebayor.

With a solid shot, quick feet, and great positioning, the one-time Time Magazine one of 100 Most Influential people in the World, has lead the Chelsea attack since joining the Blues seven seasons ago for a fee of 24 Million Pounds from Marseille.

When rumour about offloading some of the over 30-year olds for fresh limbs hit the press during the last third of the last season, Drogba's name came up the list of Stamford Bridge possible exits.

The agent of the 2006 and 2009 African Footballer of the year, Tierno Seydhi has played down talk of the Ivorian ace leaving the London club in a switch for Manchester City or his favourite Club, Oympique De Marseille, or even ending his career in North America.

It had been suggested that the Ivory Coast international had become disillusioned with life at Stamford Bridge after the arrival of £50 million man Fernando Torres.Didier Drogba has a contract until 2012 with Chelsea. “I'm settled in England and love to play for Chelsea”, he told El Classico Magazine in May 2011.

NO.2

E. ADEBAYOR (REAL MADRID)

Sharing a spot with Didier Drogba in the first of our yearly who-is-who of African footballers in Europe, Adebayor shone impressively under coach Mourinho when he moved to Real Madrid last season scoring 8 goals in 22 appearances- scored his first hat trick in Real Madrid on May 21, 2011 against Almeria.

Three seasons ago at Arsenal, having being the only player in the history to have scored a hat trick at both home and away against the same side (Derby Country) in a season and won the 2008 BBC African Footballer of the year, the Togolese striker moved to big spenders Man City after the club was taken over by Abu Dhabi group. Adebayor played 43 games for City scoring 19 times.

He is one of only six in Premiership history to have scored in their first four matches for their club (Man. City). The first ever Manchester City player to have scores a hatrick in an European competition. In the last season, he fell down the pecking order at City following the club's purchasing of Edin Dzeko with Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli also being chosen ahead of him. He was released on loan to Real Madrid since January 10, 2011

NO.1

SAMUEL ETO’O FILS (INTER MILAN)

After an impressive work output in the 2010-11 session, Blackachieverz.com adjudges the four-time African footballer of the year as our best African player in Europe. In the 2010/11 season alone, Africa's [undoubtedly] greatest ever football export, Samuel Eto'o, has bagged 37 goals and given 15 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for Inter Milan making him by far the most impressive African footballer of the past 12 months, hence our ultimate best of the best for 2010/2011.

Even before he won his record fourth AFRICAN BEST FOOTBALLER- (2003, 2004, 2005 and in 2010 beating Ghana's Asamoah Gyan and Didie Drogba)- he had made his name at Barcelona winning almost everything there is to win as a team; including the UEFA Champions League on two occasions. Before leaving the Calatan club to Inter Milan, he had netted 130 goals in 200 matches in 5 Seasons- and holding the record most appearances by an African in the Spanish League, La Liga. Then partnering with Messi they became the most dangerous striking force on Earth at Barcelona FC.

Eto'o had come through the ranks at Real Madrid before moving onto to Mallorca in Spain. He moved to Serie A club Inter Milan in a swap deal at the start of the 2009-10 campaign in a move that saw Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic move the other way.

On 27 July 2009, Eto'o signed for five years with Internazionale. On the 8 August, Eto'o scored his first competitive goal for Inter, in the 2009 Supercoppa Italiana. The fine performances never ceased throughout the season. On 21 August 2010, Eto'o scored twice as Internazionale beat AS Roma 3–1 to win the Italian Super Cup. His first hat trick for Internazionale occurred in the UEFA Champions League against the German team Werder Bremen on 29 September 2010. Internazionale won the game 4 – 0, with Eto'o saying "We will remain humble because we know that there are sides out there that are better than us, so we will just take it one match at a time and we will go as far as it takes us".

Continuing his outstanding form in Serie A and in the UEFA Champions League for the 2010/2011 campaign, he has been pivotal to Internazionale's attack line.

team especially at a very difficult period for the club when co-striker Diego Milito and playmaker Wesley Sneijder have been inconsistently in and out due to injuries. Eto'o has been in fine form with continuous scoring and assists both in Serie A and in the UEFA Champions League. On 16 March 2011, Eto'o gave a legendary performance in Munich as he helped Internazionale eliminate Bayern Munich 2 - 3 (agg 3 - 3) in the UEFA Champions League. Eto'o scored the first goal after 4 minutes into play as well as provided two clinical assists to Sneijder and to Pandev for the winner.

After the game, President Massimo Moratti had this to say: "I'm not sure if the deal that brought Eto'o to the club was my best piece of transfer business ever, but I really think it was a great piece of business for us. Eto'o is fantastic. I do not want to take anything away from Ibrahimovic, but for everyone it was really a great deal to get Eto'o. Samuel is truly extraordinary."

The 29-year-old Golden Ball Winner in the last FIFA Club World Cup, Eto'o holds a Spanish passport to enable him not to count among the 'foreign player'.

By the end of the 2010-11 Season in late May, there was news in the British Tabloids that Eto'o would like to taste top club football in Premiership while still at his prime age. At 29, he isn't getting any younger, however he would certainly be a welcome addition in any team sheet.

His class needs no mentioning, but which club would be more suited to his style of play? Basically, Eto'o can play anywhere in the middle or on the left flank; we saw him inter-change positions with Lionel Messi during his days at Barcelona. He is neither a lazy striker, he runs after the ball, chases players around the park and can even defend on corners. So which club would get him?

Manchester City could be one of the clubs that would seek to get Eto'o signature should Carlos Tevez leave. Both strikers have a lot in common regarding their work ethics and be would be an idle replacement. One of the leading contenders to sign Tevez, if tabloids are to be believed, is Inter Milan and could pan out perfectly with a like for like player swap.

Arsenal on the other hand need a quality striker upfront to partner Robin Van Persie. In recent weeks, Arsenal have been linked with a number of strikers with the likes of Falcao, Hulk, Bojan and Milito amongst others. Having said that, they need a proven finisher and with no disrespect to the names mentioned above, Samuel Eto'o would seem to be the more obvious choice.

It would be hard to understand if Manchester United do decide to part with Berbatov, but at the moment with Javier Hernandez proving to be the signing of the season, I don't think United would like to bring him on. Sneijder is also on their radar, and ideally they would try not to hamper any deal that would take place between the two clubs.

Harry Redknapp and Tottenham could be the surprise package, and he has shown intent of buying big in the summers with the likes of Aguero and Forlan linked, but the chances of attracting Eto'o would be remote considering their Champions League status next season.

Personally, I think that Eto'o would be more suited to Arsenal's style of play, which is somewhat reminiscent of Barcelona's gameplay. Wenger would hugely benefit from the player's mentally and winning attitude and his introduction would see a shift in powers and league back to London.

Blackachieverz.com does not see Chelsea going for Eto'o as a number of Brazilian forwards (including Neymar) are strongly on their radar; same way we see it unlikely that he will leave Inter Milan, at least not before the end of the 2011-12 season.

With this feat, baring no hitches in the first half of the 2011/2012 season, Eto'o is surely going to snatch a record fifth African Best Player of the year come December 2011.