REVEALED: The 10 best players set for January AFCON duty

With next month’s African Cup of Nations in Gabon fast approaching, there are plenty of clubs planning for life without some of their prized assets for a considerable period of the season. That is of course particularly true of the Premier League, with no winter break, though the majority of leagues in Europe will be back underway by the time the tournament kicks off on January 14th.

Here we reveal the ten top rated players in Europe set for a leave of absence at club level to compete for their respective nations at AFCON 2017.

Ryad Boudebouz (Montpellier / Algeria) - WhoScored.com rating 7.47

An unheralded star of an Algerian side inundated with talent in attacking midfield positions, Boudebouz can play wide but has flourished in the number 10 role for Montpellier this season. The 26-year old has enjoyed a fruitful campaign in front of goal this season, scoring 7 times already having struck just twice last term, whilst registering a modest 2 assists having created more chances than any other player in Ligue 1 (47).

Jean Michael Seri (Nice / Ivory Coast) - WhoScored.com rating 7.51

Elsewhere in Ligue 1, midfielder Jean Seri has played a pivotal role in a sensational start to the season for shock leaders Nice. The 25-year old Ivory Coast international only received his first senior call-up last year but should be a shoo-in for a place for Michel Dussuyer’s pre-tournament favourites based on form. Seri’s playmaking has been essential to Lucien Favre’s side this season, averaging the fifth most passes per game in Ligue 1 (73.5) and registering at least two more assists (8) than any other player in France’s top-flight.

Bertrand Traore (Ajax / Burkina Faso) - WhoScored.com rating 7.52

The fact that, at 21, Traore has amassed 30 international caps for Burkina Faso already highlights just how important he is to the national side in the here and now as well as the future, having earned his first call-up at just 15! Currently enjoying a profitable loan spell with Ajax from Chelsea, the youngster is being deployed on the right of a front three more often than not, chipping in with 4 league goals. Moreover, Traore’s pace and trickery has seen him complete more dribbles per game (3.3) than any other player in the Eredivisie.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund / Gabon) - WhoScored.com rating 7.56

Captain of Gabon and poster boy of the tournament next month, 2015 African Footballer of the Year Aubameyang will hope to fire the host nations to their best ever finish having reached the quarter-finals five years ago. The rapid Dortmund front man has been in sensational scoring form this season after all, leading the Bundesliga scoring charts with 15 goals, and Thomas Tuchel will be a relieved man that Germany’s top-flight doesn’t re-emerge from its winter break until January 20th.

Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord / Morocco) - WhoScored.com rating 7.58

An experienced head in midfield for both Feyenoord and Morocco, El Ahmadi is key to both and has enjoyed an excellent start to the season. The 31-year old may have failed to make the grade in the Premier League, spending two years at Aston Villa, but has returned to the Dutch top-flight and made an immediate impact. Ranking sixth in the Eredivisie for tackles per game (3.3), El Ahmadi has kept the ball excellently too, boasting an 88.8% pass accuracy and even weighing in with 4 goals for Holland’s league leaders.

Moussa Marega (Vitoria de Guimaraes / Mali) - WhoScored.com rating 7.60

He may have missed three Liga NOS games recently through suspension but, following an outstanding start to the season, Marega is still the top scorer in Portugal. Despite making seven of ten starts from the right wing the forward, on loan at Vitoria from Porto, has scored 10 goals and will hope that such form will see him earn a starting berth for Mali next month. A conversion rate of 38.5% this season is surely enough to see the 25-year old add to his 9 international caps in Gabon.

Mo Salah (Roma / Egypt) - WhoScored.com rating 7.63

The significance of the loss of Mo Salah next month for Roma cannot be overstated, such is his importance to the style and success of Luciano Spalletti’s side. The 24-year old’s threat on the break is a huge asset to both club and country and the former Chelsea winger will hope to translate his impressive form in Serie A onto the international stage with Egypt. With 8 goals and 4 assists in the league this season, Salah is primed to build on a superb international record and, dependent on the team’s progress, he could make his 50th cap next month, hoping to add to a tally of 27 goals.

Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace / Ivory Coast) - WhoScored.com rating 7.68

Having grown frustrated of being overlooked for England, Zaha announced his decision to represent the Ivory Coast at international level, which was the worst possible news for Palace and Alan Pardew. The 24-year old is in the best form of a Premier League career that has until now underwhelmed, adding an end product to his undoubted talent and threat. With 3 goals and 6 assists this season, his importance to the Eagles is huge and with United, Chelsea and Arsenal all to come in the next four games, Pardew could be without his best player this season at a time when Palace may feasibly drop into the bottom three.

Sadio Mane (Liverpool / Senegal) - WhoScored.com rating 7.72

The star man for a very impressive Senegal squad tipped to go the distance next month, Mane will hope to lead the way for his nation to secure their first ever AFCON title. The winger’s summer switch to Liverpool has proven to be a huge success, earning the fifth highest rating in the Premier League this season, with 7 goals and 4 assists to his name ahead of the Reds’ midweek trip to Boro. Given his form at the start of this campaign the 24-year old is one of those tipped to light up the tournament and will be among the favourites to be crowned Best Player next month.

Hakim Ziyech (Ajax / Morocco) - WhoScored.com rating 7.84

Given that Ziyech is the second Ajax attacker in this list, it’s fair to say manager Peter Bosz will be dreading the departure of two key players next month. The 23-year old made the move to Amsterdam from Twente in the summer and has quickly established himself as a key player for the title hopefuls. Indeed, in 12 league starts the playmaker has scored three goals and registered 5 assists, averaging both the most shots (4.2) and key passes (3.8) per game in the league. Having switched allegiance from the Netherlands to Morocco last year Ziyech is sure to be a key player for Herve Renard’s side having already scored 5 goals in 9 international caps.