Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez is favourite for the African Player of the Year award. Credit: Daily Star
[/media-credit] Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal during the Pre-Season Friendly between Arsenal and Manchester City at Ullevi on August 7, 2016 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Credit: (Photo by Nils Petter Nilsson/Ombrello/Getty Images)

As Africa’s biggest football show piece, The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) gets underway in Gabon on 14th January 2017, there are a host of stars who ply their trade in the English Premier League.

There are a total of twenty eight players from 14 English Premier League clubs

Reigning champions, Leicester City and Sunderland jointly share the biggest number, 4 apiece.

The legion has the Algerian duo of Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani who both play for Algeria Desert Foxes and Ghana Black Stars’ Jeffrey Schlupp and Daniel Amartey.

Sunderland quartet includes; Didier Ndong (Gabon), Lamine Kone (Ivory Coast), Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia) and Papy Djilobodji (Senegal).

West Ham United and Stoke City closely follow with three players apiece on their ranks.

Everton, Bournemouth, Hull City, Crystal Palace and Watford have two players each.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Middleborough and Southampton have one player each.

There has been a vibrant club versus country war for many European based players.

Most players preferred to represent their countries at the biannual event with others opting to stay with their respective clubs.

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English Premier Clubs with players at AFCON 2017

Arsenal – Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)

Bournemouth – Benik Afobe (DR Congo), Max Gradel (Ivory Coast)

Crystal Palace – Bakary Sako (Mali), Wilfred Zaha (Ivory Coast)

Everton – Idrissa Gueye (Senegal), Oumar Niasse (Senegal)

Hull City – Dieumerci Mbokani (DR Congo), Ahmed Elmohamady (Egypt)

Leicester: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Islam Slimani (Algeria), Daniel Amartey (Ghana)

Liverpool – Sadio Mane (Senegal)

Manchester United – Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast)

Middlesbrough – Adama Traore (Mali)

Southampton – Sofiane Boufal (Morocco)

Stoke City – Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast), Mame Biram Diouf (Senegal), Ramadan Sobhi (Egypt)

Sunderland – Didier Ndong (Gabon), Lamine Kone (Ivory Coast), Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia), Papy Djilobodji (Senegal)

Watford – Nordin Amrabat (Morocco), Adlene Guedioura (Algeria)

West Ham United – Diafra Sakho (Senegal), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Andre Ayew (Ghana)

David Isabirye is a senior staff writer for Kawowo Sports where he covers most of the major events.

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