Premier League bottom club Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew has been named January’s African Player of the Month in the English Premier League. He beat off the challenge of Chelsea’s Jon Obi Mikel and West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate, who were on the shortlist, to win the award.

 

Organisers New African Soccer put out the release, stating that Ayew was given the award by an overwhelming vote in his favour, but also by their  assessment. The Awards Director ‘Tunde Adelakun who signed the release said “Jordan Ayew has really put in a good shift in the games that Aston Villa played in the month of January, and although they are really struggling to get results as a club, one can not but notice and appreciate the desire and ability shown by the youngster in the course of the month”.

 

Jordan Ayew played in three of the four matches Villa played in an encouraging January which saw them win one, draw two and lose one game; and that included a man-of-the-match performance against West Brom away.

 

February has not started well for him, though, picking up a red card in the 0-2 loss to West Ham early in the month, and hence will miss his club’s next three games.

 

His award will be presented in the coming days.