Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Named 2015 CAF African Player of the Year

Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been named CAF 2015 African Player of the year for his stunning campaign in the Bundesliga, predictably beating out Manchester City's Yaya Toure.

BBC confirmed the news on Thursday, and his club took to Twitter to congratulate the former Milan star:

The Gabon international was one of Europe's most productive strikers in 2015, ranking among the continent's top scorers, per World Soccer Talk.  

The 26-year-old has played a key role in Dortmund's resurgence in the 2015-16 campaign and has already scored 18 goals in 17 Bundesliga starts this season, per WhoScored.com. 

Aubameyang was a massive favourite to win this year's award, and BBC's John Bennett was one of many who was hardly surprised he did:

His hot form and consistent scoring touch has not gone unnoticed, and transfer chatter surrounding his future has been almost constant in the last two years. So when the star forward missed training due to the award ceremony, the British media went a little crazy, with Sky Sports linking him with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Team-mate Mats Hummels couldn't help himself once Aubameyang received his award:

The speedster has steadily improved throughout his career, and while 2015 was undoubtedly a big year for Aubameyang, there's every reason to believe 2016 will be even better.

He's the focal point of Dortmund's attack, and with Bayern Munich already holding an eight-point lead in the Bundesliga standings, Aubameyang and his team-mates will have their work cut out for them. It seems impossible to suggest he could maintain his current scoring average, but the opportunities are certainly there.

More success on the international stage would only elevate Aubameyang's profile, with Gabon qualifying for the 2016 Africa Cup of Nations. He'll also be aiming to guide Dortmund to this year's UEFA Europa League final. 

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