A top Confederation of African Football (CAF) source informed FilGoal.com that Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor is set to be named as the continent's best player for 2008. In the poll, which is decided by national coaches of every African nation, the Arsenal hit man received the highest votes to pip Egypt and Wigan Athletic striker Amr Zaki and win the award. While Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien came third, Ahli and Egypt playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika finished the poll in fourth spot. Ivory Coast skipper and three-time African player of the year Didier Drogba was voted fifth. Adebayor will be the first Togolese player to ever win such award, after the 24-year-old scored 30 goals for Arsenal last season, in addition to eleven strikes so far this term. While Zaki received his first nomination this year, Essien misses out on the award for the fourth consecutive year, after a season hampered by injuries for the former Lyon man. The source added that the ceremony where Adebayor will be officially announced as the continent's best player will be held on February 10th in Lagos, Nigeria. Previous years' ceremonies were held in the Senegalese capital Dakar, but this year's venue was changed to Lagos upon the request of the event's sponsors.
