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Defensive Midfield- Wilfred Ndidi (€60 Million)
With Watford's Peter Etebo ruled out of AFCON, Nigeria will have only Wilfred Ndidi as their midfielder with an international tournament under his belt. He has made 43 appearances for the Super Eagles since making his debut in 2015.
The Leicester City midfielder is more than capable of producing goods for his country, having done so in the Premier League. Ndidi is one of the continent's best defensive midfielders, and has distinguished himself as a top quality player in Europe.
He played for the Super Eagles in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where his side won bronze. The Leicester City man is the most valuable African midfielder, and currently has a market value of €60 million. Nigeria last won the AFCON trophy in 2013, and Ndidi will be looking to help his side reach those heights once again.
Central Midfield- Thomas Partey (€40 Million)
Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is another elite midfielder to have come out of Africa. He is part of the Ghana squad in Cameroon preparing for their first AFCON match against the Atlas Lions of Morocco.
The former Atletico Madrid man joined Arsenal in the summer of 2020 for around €50 million, and has become a key man in the Gunners midfield. The 28-year-old tenacious midfielder is a regular for the Black Stars of Ghana, having already made 34 senior appearances since his debut in 2016.
Ghana have not won the AFCON or any other major tournament since 1982. The Black Stars were knocked out of the 2019 edition of AFCON in the Round of 16 by Tunisia. Partey will be hoping to propel his side further this time. He is presently valued at €40 million.
Central Midfield- Franck Kessie (€48 Million)
AC Milan midfield enforcer Franck Kessie is a member of the Ivory Coast squad in Cameroon. The midfielder has been a regular for the Elephants since he was 19, and has made 52 appearances for his country.
Kessie has featured consistently for AC Milan in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League this season. He will be looking to take his good form to Cameroon. Kessie will lead a very talented Ivory Coast side in Cameroon.
The midfielder represented Ivory Coast in both the 2017 and 2019 editions of AFCON. He was also part of the Ivory Coast squad at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as they lost in the quarterfinals to eventual finalists Spain. Kessie is valued at €48 million presently.
