Breaking News: Essien in Caf top five

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien will be named among the five nominees for the Caf African Footballer of the Year award on Wednesday, Ghanasoccernet understands.

A source within the Confederation of African Football (Caf) told this website that the Chelsea enforcer will be named alongside his Ivorian team-team Didier Drogba.

It is now known whether Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o will be named because of his injury-plagued year.

But Arsenal's Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor as well as Malian Freddy Kanoute are said to be among the nominees, according to the insider.

The list of nominees is expected ot be unveiled the event's sponsor Globacom in Nigeria later on Wednesday.

The four players named were among the BBC's African Player of the Year award which was released last week.

The inclusion of Eto'o in the BBC award has generated debate over his contribution to football this year as he has played only 17 matches in the past 12 months.

Some have argued for the inclusion of Mali midfielder Mahammadou Diarra of Real Madrid.

The list will be whittled down to three before the final event in Togo next year.

Drogba won the 2006 Caf African Footballer of the Year in a ceremony in Accra.

It was the first time Drogba won the award and, in edging out Samuel Eto'o, he denied Barcelona's Cameroon striker a record fourth-successive award.

Another Chelsea player, Essien, finished third.

Essien won the 2006 BBC African Player of Year award which is votoed for by fans.