Ivory Coast skipper Yaya Toure is in the frame to win the African Player of the Year award for the fifth consecutive year. 

The Manchester City midfielder has been included in the list of 37 names for the Confederation of African Football’s annual award. 

Toure is on the verge of making history here. If he claims a fifth title he will overtake former Barcelona and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, who has won the award four times in his career. 

Let us take a look at the players nominated for Caf’s player of the year award (taken from BBC): 

Ahmed Musa – CSKA Moscow (Russia) and NigeriaAndre Ayew – Swansea City (England) and GhanaAymen Abdennour – Valencia (Spain) and TunisiaBaghdad Bounedjah – Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and AlgeriaBassem Morsi – Zamalek (Egypt) and EgyptChrisitian Atsu – Bournemouth (England) and GhanaDieumerci Mbokani – Norwich City (England) and DR CongoEl Arbi Soudani – Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) and AlgeriaFaouzi Ghoulam – Napoli (Italy) and AlgeriaFerebory Dore – Angers (France) and CongoGervinho – Roma (Italy) and Ivory CoastIbrahima Traore – B Monchengladbach (Germany) and GuineaJavier Balboa – Al Faisaly (Saudi Arabia) and Equatorial GuineaHeldon Ramos – Rio Ave (Portugal) and Cape VerdeMame Biram Diouf – Stoke City (England) and SenegalMax Gradel – Bournemouth (England) Ivory CoastMehdi Benatia – Bayern Munich (Germany) and MoroccoMudather El Tahir ‘Careca’ – Al Hilal (Sudan) and SudanMohamed Salah – Roma (Italy) and EgyptNicolas Nkoulou – Marseille (France) and CameroonP-Emerick Aubameyang – B Dortmund (Germany) and GabonRobert Kidiaba – TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and DR CongoRudy Gestede – Aston Villa (England) and BeninRiyad Mahrez – Leicester City (England) and AlgeriaSadio Mane – Southampton (England) and SenegalSerge Aurier – Paris St Germain (France) and Ivory CoastSeydou Keita – Roma (Italy) and MaliSofiane Feghouli – Valencia (Spain) and AlgeriaStephane Mbia – Trabzonspor (Turkey) and CameroonThievy Bifouma – Granada (Spain) and CongoVictor Wanyama – Southampton (England) and KenyaVincent Aboubakar – Porto (Portugal) and CameroonVincent Enyeama – Lille (France) and NigeriaYacine Brahimi – Porto (Portugal) and AlgeriaYannick Bolasie – Crystal Palace (England) and DR CongoYasine Chikhaoui – Al Gharafa (Qatar) and TunisiaYaya Toure – Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast

As you can see, eleven players from the Premier League have made the initial list. Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie, Southampton duo Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane, Leicester City’s Riyad Mehrez and Swansea’s high flying forward Andre Ayew are all in all contention to win the prestigious award.

Here are the list of players nominated for Caf’s Africa based Player of the Year award:

List of players nominated for Caf’s Africa-Based Player of the year award:

Abdeladim Khadrouf – Moghreb Tetouan and MoroccoAbdelmalek Ziaya – Entente Setif and AlgeriaAhmed Akaichi – Etoile du Sahel and TunisiaA. Carolus – USM Algers (Algeria) and MadagascarBaghdd Bounedjah – Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and AlgeriaBakri El Madina – Al Merriekh and SudanBassem Morsi – Zamalek and EgyptBoris Moubhio – AC Leopards and CongoDjigui Diarra – Stade Malien and MaliFelipe Ovono – Orlando Pirates (South Africa) and Eq GuineaSylvain Gbohouo – TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Ivory CoastHazem Emam – Zamalek and EgyptHocine Ragued – Esperance and TunisiaKermit Erasmus – Orlando Pirates and South AfricaMalick Evouna – Al Ahly (Egypt) and GabonMbwana Samatta – TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and TanzaniaMohamed Koffi – Zamalek (Egypt) and Burkina FasoMohamed Meftah – USM Algers and AlgeriaMudather El Tahir ‘Careca’ – Al Hilal and SudanOupa Manyisa – Orlando Pirates and South AfricaRobert Kidiaba – TP Mazembe and DR CongoRoger Assale – TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Ivory CoastThamsanqa Gabuza – Orlando Pirates and South AfricaZein Edin Farahat – USM Algers and Algeria

Toure, 32, has been in tremendous form this season for Manchester City, having scored once and further registering four assists in the league already, and he is favourite once again to win the African Player of the Year award. However, he could face strong competition this time from his Ivory Coast team mates – Gervinho, Max Gradel and Serge Aurier; all played a key role in Ivory Coast winning the African Cup of Nations in 2015.