Ola Aina ranks ex-CAF Player of the Year winners ahead of Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu in top 5 Premier League African legends

Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has weighed in on the debate over the greatest African players in Premier League history, placing Chelsea icon Didier Drogba ahead of Nigerian legends Austin Jay-Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo.

Aina, who currently plays Nottingham Forest, was the guest on a special Premier League and EA Sports blind ranking segment, where he revealed his top five African greats to have graced the English topflight.

After naming the likes of Kanu Nwankwo and Austin 'Jay-Jay' Okocha, Aina saved the highest praise for Ivorian superstar Drogba, who he ranked as the number one African player in Premier League history.

Drogba's incredible goal-scoring exploits and trophy-laden spell at Chelsea, where he won four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League, clearly left a lasting impression on the Forest man, Aina.

The Super Eagles defender's decision to rank Drogba and his compatriot, Yaya Toure, above the mercurial Okocha, who is widely regarded as one of the most skilful players to have graced the English game, is sure to spark debate among Nigerian football fans.

Okocha's mesmerising performances for Bolton Wanderers in the 2000s earned him legendary status, but Aina has evidently been swayed by Drogba's unparalleled success and impact at the highest level of the Premier League.

This latest revelation from Aina could provide an intriguing insight into how the current generation of Nigerian players view the all-time greats from their homeland who have shone in the English top flight.