Egypt winger Mohamed Salah has made the final shortlist for the African Player of the Year award, released by the Confederation of African Football on Tuesday.

In a repeat of last year’s final three, Liverpool's star winger is competing for the most prestigious individual accolade in African football alongside club-mate Sadio Mane and 2015 winner, Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

On 14 December, Salah and Ahly's in-form winger Walid Soliman were included in the preliminary list announced by CAF.

The winner will be unveiled at the Awards Gala on 8 January in Dakar, Senegal.

Salah, who claimed the title of the best African player last season, is a hot favourite for this year's award after his outstanding performances with the Premier League club this year.

The 26-year-old finished as the Premier League's top scorer last season with a record 32 goals in a 38-game top-flight campaign and helped propel Liverpool to a place in the European Champions League final in 2018, for the first time since 2007. They lost to Real Madrid in the final.

He netted 44 goals in 52 games in all competitions last term, a brilliant form which earned him multiple individual awards.

He has also given a superb performance so far this season, and Liverpool are in the driving seat of the English Premier League as well as having booked a place in the UEFA Champions League last 16.

Salah is also shining in the English Premier league this season as he scored 13 goals in 20 appearances so far.

Earlier in December Salah was named BBC's African Player of the Year for the second successive year.

Salah won the title despite competition from Liverpool teammate Mane, Juventus defender Mehdi Benatia (Morocco), Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal) and Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey (Ghana).

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