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The former LaLiga star has highlighted rising stars Ademola Lookman and Mohammed Kudus, alongside established talents Mohamed Salah and Inaki Williams, for African Player of the Year.
Former Malian international Freddie Kanoute has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award with Ademola Lookman, Mohamed Salah and Mohammed Kudus on his list of nominees.
Speaking via Zoom on LALIGA's Africa Day special, Kanoute shared his top three picks for the prestigious accolade, highlighting the impressive performances of several African stars across Europe's top leagues.
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Kanoute on CAF Player of the Year
"It's always a difficult question to answer," Kanoute admitted while answering a question from Pulse Sports,
"I try to follow football across the globe, but it's challenging to have the same level of insight on all the players."
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Nonetheless, the ex-Sevilla striker was clear in his assessment, with Atalanta's Lookman emerging as one of Kanoute's top contenders.
"What he's done at Atalanta was very amazing," Kanoute stated, "and I've followed him even since before he was at Leicester."
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Lookman wrote his name in history books when he became the first player to score a hattrick in any top UEFA competition after inspiring Atalanta to a first-ever European glory in the Europa League.
Kanoute also maintained that Liverpool talisman Salah remains a strong candidate, describing the Egyptian as "a very important player" for the Reds.
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Furthermore, the former Mali captain highlighted the impressive performances of West Ham's Kudus, praising the Ghanaian's "multi-purpose" playing style and impressive exploits throughout the season.
“i think he’s been really good and i really like his style of play and it is like very multi-purpose on the pitch as well,” he added.
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Iñaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao was another name put forward by Kanoute, with the retired forward hailing the Ghanaian’s "fantastic season" as worthy of consideration.
Kanoute's diverse selection underscores the wealth of African talent currently gracing Europe's top divisions, with the CAF Player of the Year award set to be hotly contested in the coming months.
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