Cheikhou Kouyate

Cheikhou Kouyaté (born 21 December 1989) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for the Senegal national team. Kouyaté moved from Senegal to Belgium in 2006, having been offered a youth contract at RWDM Brussels. He played ten games before moving to Anderlecht aged 19, where he made 206 appearances and won the Belgian First Division A four times. In June 2014, he joined West Ham United of the Premier League, and four years later he transferred to Crystal Palace for an estimated £9.5 million. Kouyaté represented the Senegal national team at the 2012 Olympics. He played at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including Senegal's victory in 2021.