Which younger gamers might star at 2023 Africa Cup of Nations?

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations lastly kicks off this weekend after it was delayed from final summer season on account of considerations over the climate circumstances in host nation the Ivory Coast.

That includes 24 of the continent’s premier males’s nationwide groups, the event will start on Jan. 13 and finish on Feb. 11. However who’re the younger gamers beneath the age of 23 you’ll want to keep watch over?

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Odilon Kossounou, 23, CB, Bayer Leverkusen – Ivory Coast

Scouts heading to the Ivory Coast will undoubtedly be monitoring the house nation’s defensive colossus. Thought-about by many to be the very best defender within the German Bundesliga this season, as Leverkusen have dominated proceedings, Kossounou has taken his recreation to a brand new stage.

Whereas his defensive qualities have by no means been doubtful, the younger defender has radically improved his distribution and, having tailored properly to teach Xabi Alonso’s again three, the 6-foot-3 centre-back has additionally made a behavior of stepping up with the ball, typically carrying it previous the primary line of stress within the course of (1.90 progressive carries per 90 minutes.)

Leverkusen will certainly see loads of curiosity in signing the previous Membership Brugge defender over the following months.

Salis Abdul Samed, 23, DM, Lens – Ghana

Abdul Samed has emerged as a key part for membership and nation (particularly with the injury-enforced absence of Thomas Partey) over the previous 12 months. The defensive midfielder is exceptionally disciplined, picks up possession, presses the opposition and shifts the ball shortly and purposefully.

Now in his third season as a Ligue 1 common, when Abdul Samed isn’t within the facet it’s clear to see how the midfield construction suffers. Together with his relentless motion off the ball, he all the time provides passing choices and makes his groups tick.

Mohamed Amoura, 23, FW, Union St.-Gilloise – Algeria

One of many revelations of the Belgian league since his €4 million switch from Swiss facet Lugano in the summertime. Regardless of predominantly being fielded as a left winger (he can function as a “False No. 9” too) and the actual fact he doesn’t take penalties, Amoura has scored 12 league targets this season. Certainly, he has discovered the online seven instances within the final seven fixtures, together with one towards Liverpool within the 2-1 win within the Europa League.

Geared up with a low centre of gravity and an astonishing change of tempo, Amoura poses a big menace when he picks up the ball in wide-left positions, the place he can tackle defenders or hit an early shot.

A wonderful dribbler (5.7 progressive carries per 90 minutes), he makes forceful runs off the ball and continuously turns up in peril areas (illustrated by an astounding 8.6 touches within the opposing field per 90 minutes.)

Lameck Banda, 22, FW, Lecce – Zambia

Having performed in Russia and Israel, the speedy left winger is beginning to make a optimistic impression in Serie A. Arguably at his finest within the transitional part of the sport, Banda’s mixture of high-speed operating, glorious ball-carrying and unpredictable dribbling patterns make him an amazing power on the break.

Although solely 5-foot-7, the Zambia worldwide options spectacular upper-body energy which makes him exhausting to knock off steadiness and forces opponents to double as much as mark him or cease him by means of unlawful means.

Whereas he is at his most effective when chopping in from the left onto his proper foot, Banda can also be a positive crosser of the ball, habitually focusing on the world between the goalkeeper and the penalty spot with tantalising inswingers.

Lamine Camara, 20, CM, Metz – Senegal

Named the African Younger Participant of the Yr in 2023, Camara is an industrious box-to-box midfielder with excellent stamina and work ethic. However the 20-year-old isn’t just about business, graft or dedication: in late October he scored one of many Ligue 1 targets of the season as he noticed the Monaco goalkeeper off his line and spectacularly took on a shot from inside his personal half.

Camara has been pivotal within the success of Senegal’s youth sides over the previous few years, with nice issues anticipated from him as he builds his profession in European soccer.

Bilal El Khannouss, 19, CM, Genk – Morocco

A dominating central midfielder who can play as a No. 8 or No. 10. Rated by many as the following famous person to return from Morocco, El Khannouss switched allegiances after that includes for Belgium’s youth sides and quite a bit anticipated of him.

A supremely proficient aptitude participant — the variation and precision in his ahead passes are of a excessive customary — he is additionally disciplined sufficient to trace again, press and regain possession by means of tackles (2+ profitable tackles per 90 minutes.)

El Khannouss has reportedly been monitored by massive Premier League golf equipment resembling Liverpool and Manchester United, and when the 19-year-old finally leaves Belgian soccer, the payment is prone to beat the €36.5m switch document paid by AC Milan to signal Charles De Ketelaere in 2022.

Kamory Doumbia, 20, AM, Brest (on mortgage from Reims) – Mali

Whereas Doumbia’s profession won’t but have totally taken off, he is one of the vital in-form gamers coming into the event. The 20-year-old signed off his Ligue 1 12 months with 4 first-half targets in Brest’s 4-0 dwelling win towards Lorient earlier than he was taken off after an hour. Furthermore, he is scored 4 targets for his nation within the final 4 aggressive worldwide video games.

Whereas he is nonetheless seeking to discover consistency, the energetic attacking midfielder is greater than able to making a right away impression from the bench.

Karim Konaté, 19, FW, FC Salzburg – Ivory Coast

Unusually for an adolescent primarily based in Africa, Konate triggered big curiosity from European golf equipment as a 16-year-old following excellent performances for ASEC Mimosas in his dwelling nation. Ultimately, Salzburg needed to fend off competitors from a number of different European golf equipment to land the striker in a €3.5m deal in July 2022.

On the proof of his first year-and-a-half in Austria, there’s each likelihood that Konate will observe the identical path Karim Adeyemi, Erling Haaland and Patson Daka did at Salzburg on his option to a European prime league. Along with being athletic, lively — his off the ball motion sees him arrive incessantly in goal-scoring positions — and opportunistic, the 19-year-old is great within the air and strikes the ball properly with each toes.

Faris Moumbagna, 23, ST, Bodø/Glimt – Cameroon

A relative newcomer at worldwide stage, Moumbagna solely picked up his first cap in November on the again of a outstanding 12 months with the Norwegian champions. And his highway to European soccer has been something however strange.

The highly effective, left-footed ahead spent two seasons within the United Soccer League with Bethlehem Metal earlier than arriving in Norway at Kristiansund. However it took a transfer to Bodø/Glimt earlier than he discovered constant goal-scoring type.

A scientific finisher who can rating from quite a lot of angles and positions, he leads the road properly and is at his finest when he can make the most of his excellent velocity to run in behind the line of defense.

Adamo Nagalo, 20, CB, FC Nordsjaelland – Burkina Faso

Not but an everyday within the facet, the ball-playing centre-back has nonetheless attracted admirers within the Premier League and Bundesliga. Cellular, elegant, glorious at early interceptions and athletic, Nagalo stands out for his expertise on the ball — he typically touches it 70-plus instances throughout a match — and is able to find passes between the strains or pinpointing runners from deep.

A pleasure to observe, Nagalo’s unwavering confidence means he’s completely happy to journey ahead with the ball, typically deceiving the primary line of stress with a dangerous dribble or a change of tempo.