Ghana star Andre Ayew has survived the cut and named in the Top 10 nominees for the 2015 African Player of the Year but compatriot Christian Atsu removed, CAF announced on Monday.

The Swansea player, who was named in the initial 37-man shortlist, is fancied to win this year’s coveted prize.

But he faces competition from holder Yaya Touré (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester City), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund) and Yacine Brahimi ( Algeria & Porto)

Also in contention are Sadio Mané (Senegal & Southampton), Serge Aurier (Cote d’Ivoire & Paris Saint Germain) and Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria & Valencia)

Aymen Abdennour (Tunisia & Valencia), Mudather Eltaib Ibrahim ‘Karika’ (Sudan & El Hilal) and Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma) complete the list.

Ayew was hugely instrumental in the Black Stars silver-medal winning feat at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

He scored 14 goals as a midfielder for French side Marseille since the turn of the year even though he spent four weeks at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Ayew continued his amazing form in the English Premier League after scoring five times since August and was named as the best player in the league for that month even in the presence of top players.

The winner will be decided by votes of the Coaches or Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF.

The awards gala will be held on Thursday, 7 January 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria.

African Player of the Year:

André Ayew (Ghana & Swansea), Aymen Abdennour (Tunisia & Valencia), Mudather Eltaib Ibrahim ‘Karika’ (Sudan & El Hilal)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund), Sadio Mané (Senegal & Southampton), Serge Aurier (Cote d’Ivoire & Paris Saint Germain)

Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria & Valencia), Yacine Brahimi ( Algeria & Porto), Yaya Touré (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester City)