Stars wey fit shine for di tournament for Afcon 2023 for Ivory Coast

Di 34th Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) get under way for Ivory Coast for 13 January, wit di final for Abidjan on 11 February.

Some Premier League sides go loose some star names, and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah go dey extra-motivated to end im kontri 14-year wait for continental success.

BBC Sport Africa profile six players wey go all get different reasons to make impact for di tournament.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

Egypt bin suffer double heartbreak for di hands of Senegal for 2022, first dem lose di Nations Cup final to di Teranga Lions and den dey denied place for di World Cup for Qatar by di West Africans too.

Both matches dey settled by penalty shoot-outs - and Salah no even get di chance to take one spot-kick for di Afcon final as e bin hold back to take one fifth kick wey neva come.

Di one wey recent pass for Egypt seven continental crowns bin come for 2010 and Salah go dey look to go one beta pass how e bin do for Gabon for 2017 and Cameroon last year.

Salah get glittering line-up of medals from im time wit Liverpool but di 31-year-old go dey eager to add to im six goals from three previous trips to di Nations Cup as e dey bid to fire di Pharaohs to glory.

As influential as ever for Anfield dis season, di 'Egyptian King' go captain im side against Ghana, Cape Verde and Mozambique for Group B.

Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)

Afta e miss di 2021 edition through one combo of Covid-19 and injury, di newly-crowned African Footballer of di Year fit inspire Nigeria to one first title since 2013?

Di 24-year-old don establish imself as one of Europe top strikers, e finish last season as top scorer for Serie A as Napoli bin win dia first Italian title since 1990.

Nigeria, wit Osimhen wey dey miss through injury, fit only draw dia 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe for November, and now e get di chance to play one important role for im kontri for Afcon for di first time.

Di former Lille man bin dey di Super Eagles squad for di 2019 finals, but only feature as one half-time substitute as Nigeria bin win di third-placed play-off.

Di West Africans dey up against hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau for Group A and, wit rumours wey link am wit one move to di Premier League, na di time for Osimhen to truly announce imself on di senior international stage?

Serhou Guirassy (Guinea)

Di striker get blistering start to di new season wit club side Stuttgart, dey fire for 15 goals for im first 10 outings for di German Bundesliga.

Di 27-year-old former France youth international go dey head to Afcon for di first time afta e make im Guinea debut for March 2022.

Holders Senegal and continental heavyweights Cameroon provide tricky company for Syli National for Group C, wit second-time qualifiers Di Gambia rounding off di line-up.

Injuries for November bin halt im momentum and Guinea go hope Guirassy don pack im shooting boots as di West Africans look to reach di last 16.

Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)

Ghana head to neighbouring Ivory Coast dey look to avoid repeat of dia group-stage exit for 2021 Nations Cup, wey include one shock 3-2 defeat by Comoros.

Di Black Stars no impress for di opening two qualifiers for di 2026 World Cup - and lightning bin strike twice as di West Africans bin fall to anoda loss against Comoros.

Kudus be Ghana top scorer sake of e qualify for di Nations Cup, net three goals, and im influence for West Ham United don continued to grow since im switch to di Premier League club for August.

Afta e score twice for 2022 World Cup finals, di 23-year-old forward fit help Ghana return to di pinnacle of di African game despite one stern early test against Egypt?

Issa Kabore (Burkina Faso)

Di attacking right-back dey voted as di best young player for di 2021 finals, catch pipo eye as Burkina Faso reach di last four bifor dem lose to eventual champions Senegal.

Kabore bin don dey books of Manchester City since e join from Belgian club Mechelen for 2020 but still dey wait im debut for di reigning Premier League and European champions.

Afta loan spells for France wit Troyes and Marseille, di 22-year-old now dey get one taste of di English top flight wit Luton Town side wey dey battle relegation.

Wit Burkina Faso to face Algeria, Mauritania and Angola for Group D, Kabore - wey already get over 30 international caps to im name - get anoda opportunity on di continental stage to stake one claim for one place for Pep Guardiola City squad next season.

Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco)

Di rangy midfielder impressive box-to-box-displays for Morocco history-making run for 2022 World Cup be major factor for Ounahi wey secure one move to French giants Marseille afta di finals.

However, one broken toe wey e bin sustain on duty wit di Atlas Lions for March end im season afta just seven brief league outings for im new side.

Di 23-year-old dey work im way back to hit di high notes e bin reach for Qatar, and Ounahi no feature for di North Africans only World Cup qualifier for November.

However, boss Walid Regragui fit well turn back to one man wey be key cog to reach di World Cup semi-finals as Morocco come up against DR Congo, Zambia and Tanzania for Group F.