Pierre Emerick Aubameyang when he was presented with the 2015 award

The three finalists for the 2016 African Footballer of the Year Award will be named in December before the award ceremony in Abuja on Jan. 5, media reports said on Wednesday.

Reigning African Footballer of the Year Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was named on Tuesday on a shortlist of five candidates for the 2016 award.

The Gabon captain, whose goals for Borussia Dortmund have made him one of Europe’s most prolific strikers, is up against Algerians Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani, who play for English champions Leicester City.

Senegal and Liverpool forward Sadio Mane and AS Roma’s Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah were also nominated.

Votes from the national team Coaches or Technical Directors of the Confederation of African Football’s 54 members, plus a specially appointed panel of 10 experts, will determine the winner. (Reuters/NAN)