Football Transfer Speculation: Top 15 African Players Due for a Move to Europe
We have seen some gems come out of Africa. Didier Drogbra and Samuel Eto'o, to name a few, have been incredibly important to their respective teams.
Asamoah Gyan is another African that has done well since moving to Europe. He came to Sunderland and has provided the spark that kept them from relegation this season.
Africa has proved to be a hotbed for talent, but who are some of the players that are worth taking a closer look at?
Here are 15 African players that should be considered for moves to Europe.
No 15: Andile Jali
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Jali is 21 years old and is from South Africa. He currently plays for the Orlando Pirates (based in Johannesburg) in South Africa's Premier Soccer League.
Jali made four appearances for his national team, but was cut from the 2010 squad because of heart problems. This situation that may prevent him from playing in Europe at all, but his future will come down to how he recovers from his medical issues.
He has scored one goal since joining the Pirates in 2009.
Position: Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder
No 14: Peter Opiyo
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Opiyo is 24 years of age and hails from Kenya. He is currently playing for Viva Kerala FC.
He won the Kenyan Premier League's Midfielder of the Year award in 2009.
He has made five appearances for Kenya's national team.
Position: Midfielder
No 13: Robert Ng'ambi
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Ng'ambi is 24 years of age, and hails from Malawi.
His club team is the Black Leopards, who currently compete in South Africa's second-tier National First Division.
Position: Midfielder
No 12: Katlego Mphela
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Mphela is 26 years old and hails from South Africa.
He currently plays for Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL. He has scored 33 goals since joining the club in 2008.
He has made 38 appearances for South Africa since 2005, and has scored 19 goals in international play.
Position: Striker
No 11: Mohammad Za'abia
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Za'abia is 22 years old and is from Libya. He is currently playing for Ittihad in the Libyan Premier League.
He has made 27 total appearances for his home country, scoring one goal.
He has scored 29 goals for his club team since 2006.
Position: Striker
No 10: Nono Lubanzadio
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Lubanzadio is 27 years of age and hails from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He was a part of the 2006 African Nations Cup team that made it to the quarterfinals.
In 2005, he scored 34 goals for SC Cilu Lukala. It's hard to tell if that says more about the player or the league he was playing in—Lubanzadio is a defender.
He currently plays for the Black Leopards, along with Robert Ng'ambi.
Position: Defender
No 9: Atusaye Nyondo
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Nyondo is 22 years old and hails from Malawi.
He has appeared in eight career games for his country, and has scored one goal internationally.
He currently plays for Carara Kicks of the South African National First Division.
Nyondo was the top scorer in the league last season.
Postion: Striker
No 8: Daniel Yeboah
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Yeboah is 26 years of age and hails from the Ivory Coast. He has made four appearances for his country.
Apparently, he has improved his skills greatly in recent years. He is now the number one keeper at his club side ASEC Mimosas, playing in the Ivorian Premier Division.
The club is the most successful in the Ivory Coast, and has produced European players like Solomon Kalou, Emmanuel Eboué, and Yaya and Kolo Touré.
He played on the under-20 Ivory Coast squad in 2003.
Position: Goalkeeper
No 7: Philip Boampong
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Boampong is a 21-year-old from Ghana. He played for his country's under-17 and under-20 national squads.
He currently plays for Accra Hearts of Oak SC in the Ghana Telecom Premier League.
Position: Defender
No 6: Mohamed Oulhaj
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Oulhaj is from Morocco and is 23 years old.
His current club is Raja Casablanca. He has appeared in two matches for his country.
He won two awards for his league performances: Best Defensive Midfielder (2007-2008) and Best Center-Back (2008-2009)
Position: Defender
No 5: Itumeleng Khune
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Khune is 23 years old and hails from South Africa. His club team is the Kaizer Chiefs of the Premier Soccer League in South Africa.
He has made 30 national team appearances since 2008. He was South Africa's starting goalkeeper in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Position: Goalkeeper
No 4: Siphiwe Tshabalala
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Tshabalala is 26 years old and hails from South Africa. Like Khune, his current club team is also the Kaizer Chiefs.
He has made 56 international appearances, and has scored seven goals.
He scored a goal against Mexico in the 2010 FIFA World Cup that was nominated by FIFA for their goal of the year award.
Position: Left Winger
No 3: Hosny Abd Rabo
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Abd Rabo is from Egypt and is 26 years old. He currently plays for Ismaily in Egypt.
He has made 80 appearances for Egypt, and has scored 14 goals.
He was on the Egypt team that won the 2008 African Nations Cup, and was chosen as the Player of the Tournament.
In 2005, he joined RC Strasbourg in France, but the move didn't last long.
If any European clubs are interested in Abd Rabo, his experience will be in his favor compared to most of the other members of this list.
Position: Defensive Midfielder
No 2: Chibuzor Okonkwo
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Okonkwo is from Nigeria and is 22 years old.
His current club team is Heartland F.C. of the Nigerian Premier League.
Okonkwo has been linked to Europe for a few years now, but moves to Stoke City and FC Rostov were never completed.
He made his debut for Nigeria's national team on March 3, 2010.
Given the previous interest in signing Okonkwo, it looks as though a move to Europe is forthcoming if a deal can be finalized.
Position: Left Back
No: 1 Thulani Serero
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He is from South Africa, and is currently heading to Ajax from Ajax Cape Town. He is 21 years of age.
Serero was named last year's PSL Player of the Year in the South African Premier League.
He also won the ABSA Premiership Player of The Season and ABSA Red Hot Young Player awards.
Serero scored 16 goals in 63 appearances in his time with Ajax Cape Town.
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward
