African XI of the Season in Europe’s elite leagues

The 2023-24 league season is Europe is a thing of the past and there were outstanding performances from African players across the board.

To honour those who have excelled, we pick our African XI of the Season from the major leagues on the continent.

ANDRE ONANA (MANCHESTER UNITED & CAMEROON)

Onana’s season ended with success in the FA Cup final as Manchester United stunned their local rivals Manchester City, but the league campaign was a tough introduction for him to English football following his move from Ajax Amsterdam.

 There were some fantastic saves and some mistakes, while Onana was not helped by playing behind a constantly changing centre-back pairing for the injury-hit Red Devils. But overall he can be pleased with his contribution having played every minute of the Premier League campaign and secured nine clean sheets in 38 games. He made 149 saves and only one error leading to a goal.

OLA AINA (NOTTINGHAM FOREST & NIGERIA)

Right-back Aina had to adapt again quickly to the fast pace of the Premier League having arrived from the more measured Italian Serie A following a move from Torino at the start of the campaign. But adapt he did, and he ended up making 22 appearances (20 starts) for Forest in the league, always a threat with his runs forward from the wingback position.

 He is no stranger to the league, he was a junior at Chelsea and also played for Fulham in the 2020-21 campaign. This time round he managed a goal and assist in a season where Forest had to battle relegation until the final day.

DANGO OUATTARA (BOURNEMOUTH & BURKINA FASO)

Ouattara enjoyed a solid second season in the Premier League as Bournemouth completed a 12th place finish and won praise for their style of play under manager Andoni Iraola. He played in 30 of their 38 games (12 starts) and proved a versatile performer on the left-hand side, able to play as a winger or wing-back.

He scored a single goal against Sheffield United and provided two assists having been largely used as an impact player off the bench.

CALVIN BASSEY (FULHAM & NIGERIA)

The centre-back took to life in the Premier League with ease following his move from Ajax Amsterdam at the start of the campaign. The 24-year-old was part of a Fulham side that finished 13th, though only really so low because of a late season slump, and appears to be enjoying his football under coach Marco Silva.

He made 29 appearances (24 starts) and chipped in with a goal against Manchester United in a famous 2-1 Fulham win at Old Trafford. There is likely much more to come from the former Leicester City junior player.

EVAN NDICKA (ROMA & IVORY COAST)

Ndicka is another 24-year-old centre-back who had to settle into a new league in 2023-24 and shone for Roma in Serie A. He joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga ahead of the campaign and made 25 starts as Roma finished sixth.

 He had to endure switching managers mid-season after Jose Mourinho left the Italian capital. He will now want to kick-on and take his game to the next level in the coming campaign.

PAPE SARR (TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR & SENEGAL)

Sarr had struggled to cement a place at Tottenham Hotspur before this season, but played in 34 of their 38 league games under arriving manager Ange Postecoglou as his Premier League career finally kicked into gear.

 The 21-year-old established himself as a key player with his powerful midfield performances and chipped in with three goals and three assists, not bad for a deep-lying player. He arrived at Spurs from Metz in 2022 and is set to go from strength to strength in the next campaign.

YVES BISSOUMA (TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR & MALI)

Another player who did not hit the heights he would have hoped in his first season at Tottenham, but had a strong second campaign and featured in 28 of their 38 Premier League games (26 starts).

He already has vast experience from four successful years spent at Brighton & Hove Albion, and looked a player reborn under Postecoglou. He has a more withdrawn role than at Brighton as a shield for the back-four, and his defensive work did lead to two red cards against Luton Town and Nottingham Forest.

MOHAMMED KUDUS (WEST HAM UNITED & GHANA)

Kudus was superb for West Ham all through the season, culminating in his magnificent overhead kick goal on the final day of the campaign at Manchester City. He joined The Hammers from Ajax Amsterdam at the start of the campaign and while he had been more of a central attacker in Holland, played wide right a lot for the London club.

 He scored 14 goals in all competitions to go with six assists, with a goals contribution tally of 20 magnificent for a first season in England for the 23-year-old. You feel there are bigger things round the corner too.

MOHAMED SALAH (LIVERPOOL & EGYPT)

Salah could not quite get Liverpool over the line in the title race, but his 18 goals and 10 assists were crucial to their Premier League season as he continues to be the main man in attack for The Reds. What happens now with the departure of Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot taking over as manager, we will have to see, but Salah’s influence at Anfield remains as strong as ever. He managed 25 goals and 13 assists in 44 appearances (34 starts) in all competitions.

VICTOR OSIMHEN (NAPOLI & NIGERIA)

Osimhen had to contend with injury in what proved quite a difficult season for both him and the reigning Serie A champions Napoli, but he still managed 15 goals and three assists in 25 appearances (22 starts) as the Naples club disappointed with a 10th-place finish.

He still placed joint third on the Serie A scorers charts along with Olivero Giroud, and behind only Inter Milan's Lautaro Martínez (24) and Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic (16). In all he now has 65 Serie A goals in 108 appearances (91 starts) over four seasons.

INAKI WILLIAMS (ATHLETIC BILBAO & GHANA)

Williams fell just one short of his best ever return in LaLiga with 12 goals in 34 appearances (32 starts), which is an excellent tally for a winger. Add to that a further three assists and he was a key reason why Athletic finished fifth in the table. His pace, strong runner and eye for the finish were all great qualities as he proved the perfect foil for younger brother Nico Williams, who plays on the left wing.

SUBSTITITES

MADUKA OKOYE (UDINESE & NIGERIA)

Goalkeeper Okoye helped Udinese to safety from relegation in his first season in Serie A following a move from Watford at the start of the campaign. That included five clean sheets, the most crucial on the final day of the campaign as Udinese beat Frosinone 1-0 to confirm their safety.

RAYAN AIT-NOURI (WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS & ALGERIA)

The 22-year-old left-back had his breakthrough season in the Premier League at Wolves, featuring in 33 games (29 starts) and becoming one of their most effective attacking weapons from the wing-back position. He has silky skills with the ball at his feet and an eye for the pass, while also providing two goals and an assist. He has a huge future.

WILLY BOLY (NOTTINGHAM FOREST & IVORY COAST)

The defender helped Forest to eventual safety in the Premier League, making 20 appearances (18 starts) and providing two goals and an assist. It is a sixth season in the English topflight for the 33-year-old, who spent the first four of those at Wolves, and he has proven a steady campaigner throughout.

BRYAN MBEUMO (BRENTFORD & CAMEROON)

Arguably one of the best attacking players in the Premier League this season, despite the fact he missed several months with injury. He has become such a force at Brentford and key to the way they play with his quick feet, skill and pace as a wide right attacker. He contributed nine goals and six assists in 25 appearances (22 starts) for The Bees, and the big question now is whether they can keep hold of him.

YOANE WISSA (BRENTFORD & DR CONGO)

Comfortably Wissa’s best campaign at Brentford, he first had to fill in for the absence of Ivan Toney at the start of the season and then formed part of a formidable front three with the latter and Mbeumo. He scored 12 goals and provided three assists in 34 games (29 starts), netting some crucial strikes in a season of some toil for the West London club.

NICOLAS JACKSON (CHELSEA & SENEGAL)

It was a tough introduction to the Premier League for Jackson at times, but he still ended up with 14 goals and five assists, the best return of the short career of the 22-year-old striker. Nineteen goal contributions is a lot to build on in the next campaign and while he might rue some misses, there is no doubt he has all the attributes to be a top Premier League player in time.