By Abdulwasiu Hassan
As clubs across Europe and other continents start battling for football laurels in their various leagues in the 2023/2024 season, there are numerous African international players to watch.
Sadio Mane
The Senegalese playmaker, who was not able to continue his good runs after moving to the German Bundeliga from English Premier League last season, will be out to prove critics wrong when the battle starts in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
Though he scored 7 goals in over 20 Bundesliga games, he was dropped by new coach Thomas Tuchel.
A video recently went viral showing Mane refusing to grant a German journalist interview saying “you kill me every day and you want me to talk to you guys? Come on!”
Mane , 31, is hoping that in his new club Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, he will be able to do what he knows best, scoring goals and creating chances.
Wilfred Zaha
Away from the English Premier League where he started his career, Wilfred Zaha is starting a new adventure in the Turkish Super League in the 2023/2024 season.
The 30-year-old Ivorian international forward signed for Turkish giants Galatasaray in July.
Wilfred spent over 10 years playing for Crystal Palace and Manchester United in the English Premier League.
Zaha will be bringing his wealth of experience to bear in the attempt of the Turkish champions to defend their title in the new season and to also do well in the European Champions League which is already underway.
Mohamed Salah
Salah said he was “totally devastated” when his team Liverpool failed to book a place in European Champions League this season.
But the Red’s talisman is ready to put behind him the disappointment of last season by seeking what he believes is the barest minimum the club should have, a place in the Champions League.
The team will be counting on the 31-year-old's experience during the 2023/2024 English Premier League season.
Taiwo Awoniyi
The Nigerian international was one of the players recruited by the Nottingham Forest to help keep the newly promoted club in the English Premier League last season.
He didn’t disappoint as he netted in 10 premier league goals for the team including a crucial one against Arsenal which saved his side from a relegation.
The goal against Arsenal just few days to the end last season, cemented 25 years old Awoniyi’s reputation in the club.
This season, the former bricklayer will be one of the main pillars that the Nottingham Forest will be relying on hoping not only to continue to stay in the English elite league, but to also finish the league in a better position.
Zaidu Sanusi
Nigerian left-back, Zaidu Sanusi, 26, helped FC Porto win the Portuguese Primera Liga in the 2021/2022 season.
The team would then end the next season as runners up to Benfica who won the league title.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria player will be among stars at Porto in its efforts to reclaim its title in the Primeira Liga as well as launch its European Champions League campaign.
Sadiq Umar
Nigerian forward, Sadiq Umar shone in Laliga Smartbank in 2021-2022 season when he helped Almeria gained promotion to Laliga Santander.
This attracted the attention of Real Sociedad whose forward Alexandar Isak had just joined Newcastle United in the English Premier League.
Sadiq Umar, 26, was brought into Real Sociedad, but a prolonged injury prevented him from playing most of games last season.
Jololo as he is fondly called will be out to prove, this La Liga season, that his performance at Almeria was no fluke.
Samuel Chukwueze
Samuel Chkukwueze has joined Italian soccer giants, AC Milan after a spell of brilliant performance at Spanish club Villarreal.
The 24-year-old forward who moved to AC Millan is expected to play a major role in the team’s Italian Seria A and Champions League campaign this season.
Achraf Hakimi
Achraf, who was part of the Moroccan team that made history of being the first African team to play in semi-finals of the last FIFA World Cup, is a right-back for Ligue1 side Paris Saint-Germain.
The 24-year-old star is one of the players leading the title defence campaign of PSG that won the Ligue 1 title last season.
Victor Osimhen
The Nigerian attacker helped Napoli win their first league title in 33 years after scoring 26 goals in the season.
Though he has been linked to bids from clubs across Europe, it appears the 2015 U 17 golden boot winner hopes he will continue to shine in Italy in the 2023/2024 season.
Osimhen, 24, is poised to continue banging in goals for Napoli as the team commence their league title defence and Champions League campaigns this season.
Andre Onana
The goalkeeper of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Andre Onana, moved to Manchester United after seeing to it that his former side, Inter Milan, ended the Champions League as a runners up.
Coming in as a replacement to David de Gea, so much is expected from the Cameroonian goalkeeper.
Twenty seven years old Onana is poised to do his dream job in such a way that the club might not miss their former goalkeeper.
Vincent Abubakar
Another African that people will be watching out for his performance is Vincent Aboubakar. Thirty one years old Vincent had an incredible form last season.
Though his team, Besiktas, were able to end the season as third on the table behind Galatasaray and Fernabache, he is going to be among the players the Turkish team will be banking on to fight for the Turkish league title.
His performance for in the team in last season shows he still has the ability to get more goals for the team in the new season.
Khalidou Koulibale
Khalidou Koulibale is one of the football stars who have flocked to Saudi Arabia from Europe.
The thirty two years old Senegalese defender who left Chelsea for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia is expected to play a major role in the Saudi club’s league campaign this season.
The former Chelsea star will be among the stars to watch in Saudi Pro League and beyond when the season kicks off on Friday.
