BBC shortlists 3 EPL, 2 Bundesliga Players for African Footballer of the Year

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) released its five-man shortlist for its African Footballer of the Year award.

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The list includes Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund), Guinean Naby Keita (RB Leipzig), Senegalese Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Nigerian Victor Moses (Chelsea) and Egyptian Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).

Aubameyang celebrates his fifth-consecutive shortlisting and Mane is nominated for a third time, while the other players are first-time nominees.

Algerian national and last season's awardee, Riyad Mahrez, expressed: "It means a lot; it's something big for African players so I am very happy, I am very proud," the Leicester City man said following his achievement. 

"For African players, it's a huge honor."

The nominees were decided by Africa-based journalists and coaches and BBC staff.

Twenty-eight-year-old Aubameyang netted 35 goals and won the German Cup – becoming the Bundesliga top scorer – the first African to achieve the feat. The Gabonese, who is the sole African on Fifa's Player of the Year shortlist, is the fourth player to score more than 30 goals in a season in the German premiership.

Keita was voted the best midfielder in German's top division prior to signing an African record fee for a summer transfer to Liverpool, where he will join Mane and Salah.

The Guinean's future teammate, Mane, was voted Liverpool's Player of the Year and one of two Africans shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or.

Last season, Moses helped his club to top the Premier League as well as notch an FA Cup runner-up finish.

Salah help to usher Egypt to their first World Cup since 1990 and Africa Cup of Nations runners-up.

The winner will be announced Dec. 11.

Voting is now open to determine the winner.