African diamonds

African talent is now abundant in the top leagues of Europe – Mark Gleeson runs his eye over the stars who have been making waves this season

1 Amad DIALLO MANCHESTER UNITED

The teenager only featured as a substitute for Atalanta in a season and a half in the first team, yet still managed some Champions League minutes, a Serie A goal and a big move to Manchester United.

His Serie A debut came in October 2019 after Atalanta had gone 6-1 up against Udinese, and Gian Piero Gasperini thought it appropriate to give the then 17-year-old Ivorian some playing time in the last 15 minutes. Traore responded with a dribbling slalom down the right flank, before cutting in to score a seventh with a blistering left-footed shot – becoming the first player born in 2002 to score in Serie A.

He moved to Italy as a youngster, grew up in Parma and was signed by Atalanta aged 13. His elder brother Hamed Traore plays for Sassuolo on loan from Empoli.

2 Lassina TRAORE AJAX

Five goals in a record-breaking 13-0 victory for Ajax against VVV-Venlo earlier in the Eredivisie campaign catapulted Traore to the fore, but it is the injury to the Brazilian Antony that has granted him more playing time to profit from.

Long earmarked for success after being spotted in BoboDioulasso, Burkina Faso, Ajax parked Traore at their affiliate club in Cape Town until he turned 18, and then tied him down to a lengthy contract in the Netherlands. The impetuosity of youth is still evident in the number of good opportunities squandered, but his physical presence and willingness to work will see Ajax surely make a good profit off him when the time comes to move up to a bigger league.