Alex Song, one of 10 finalists for African Player of the Year 2012

Alex Song, one of Tito Vilanova’s first two signings, is one of the ten names on the list for the African Player of the Year. Following votes by the members of the CAF and various football committees and members of the African media, the original list of 34 has now been narrowed down to just ten, and now it will be up to the managers of each of the national teams in the continent to decide who is the outright winner.

For the 2012 award, Song faces stiff competition from Andre Ayew (Marseille), Christopher Katongo (Henan Construction), Demba Ba (Newcastle), Didier Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua), Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi (Arsenal), John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint Etienne), Touré Yaya (Manchester City) and Younes Belhanda (Montpellier).

The list will be narrowed to three later this month, and on December 20 the winner will receive the trophy at a gala in the Ghanaian capital of Accra