Leicester star Riyad Mahrez absent from 30-man African Player of the Year shortlist after winning the award last year
Mahrez has struggled to reproduce the form that helped sweep Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016 but Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Manchester United defender Eric Bailly make shortlist
LEICESTER CITY winger Riyad Mahrez has failed to make the shortlist for African Player of the Year.
The Algerian attacker is the current holder of the coveted award, but has not made the Confederation of African Football (Caf) 30-player shortlist for 2017.
Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who won in 2015, is there alongside Liverpool’s Senegal forward Sadio Mane who came third last year.
Mahrez, 26 has struggled to recapture the form that helped that took the Foxes to the Premier League title in 2016 and saw him scoop the PFS Players’ Player of the Year.
Manchester United and Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly makes the list alongside Chelsea and Nigeria wing-back Victor Moses.
Liverpool are also represented by Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah and RB Leipzig’s Anfield bound Guinea midfielder Naby Keita.
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All but seven of the nominees play for European clubs, with Egypt's Essam El Hadary on the list at the age of 44.
The other award up for grabs is the best Africa-Based Player of the Year.
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The respective winners will be announced in the Ghanaian capital Accra next January.
Votes from a combination of head coaches and technical directors from national teams, as well as members of Caf's Technical and Development Committee and a panel of media experts will determine the winners.
