In 2021 in the Guardian’s top 60 talents of world football, Karim Konate of Asec Mimosas, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku of Ghana and Josue Doke of Togo were the only three Africans to make that list.
Karim Konate was with Asec Mimosas in Ivory Coast, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku was at Steadfast in Ghana and Josue Doke was at the famous West African Football Academy (WAFA) in Ghana.
We are in 2024, fast forward, Karim Konate has been drawing huge interest from French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco while Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is on the verge of securing promotion to the English Premier League with Leicester City and Josue Doke at 19 is in Lithuania playing for Be1 NFA.
How accurate can the Guardian’s selection be?
Karim Konate, 20, has been in the books of RB Salzburg since 2020. The Asec Mimosas academy graduate has very good numbers in Austria and he is highly rated by RB Salsburg.
He has scored 16 goals in 33 appearances for Salsburg. He dazzled on loan at Liefering in the 2022-23 season in the Austria Bundesliga after scoring 15 goals in 18 games.
Blessed with speed and strength, the Ivory Coast striker has the potential to be the star many think he will be. He has scored 5 goals in his last 4 games for RB Salzburg.
French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco is ready to splash the cash for his services as he will not cost more than 20 million Euros. Per Transfermarkt.com, the Ivorian forward has a 15M Euros value.
He was part of the Elephants squad that won the 2023 AFCON.
