With the action kicking off Thursday night, the biggest contingent of African players ever is set to be on show across the A-League over the coming season.

One such player has United coach Miron Bleiberg full of praise. Eritrean-born Mebrahtu has matured sufficiently in the last 12 months to now be considered one of United's most dangerous weapons.

The 19-year-old , who turns 20 later this month, has stamped his authority on Gold Coast's pre-season after injury bedevilled his progress last season. And Bleiberg is expecting big things from his star in the making.

"GolGol last year came as a youngster and he was a bit of a child body-wise and mind-wise," Bleiberg told au.fourfourtwo.com.

"But he has now spent a year in the A-League and he spent some time being injured which is a good lesson. Sometimes it's good to see things from the outside.

"So he's ready. I think his pre-season was excellent. I think he scored in almost every pre-season game we played so..."

Mebrahtu is joined at the Gold Coast by exciting attacking defender the Ivory Coast born Adama Traore. Both are set to play key roles in United's second season with Traore also keen on potentially becoming a Socceroo one day.

Elsewhere and Melbourne Heart have added exciting 18-year-old Kamal Ibrahim to their squad. And judging by the Ethiopian-born player's pre-season form, the ex AIS winger should push for a starting XI spot at Heart.

Adelaide's Ghanaian international Lloyd Owusu and the Ghana-born Kofi Danning at Sydney FC are well established in the A-League. However, two to watch are Nigerian born Bernie Ibini-Isei - an up-and-comer at the Mariners - and Million Butshiire who played with Perth Glory youth team last season.

But it's North Queensland Fury who've made the biggest splash in the African market. Ghanaian-born Togolese international defender Eric Akoto, 30, has been joined in recent days by 27-year-old Ugandan international Eugene Sseppuya.

Sseppuya, an imposing striker and the first Ugandan to play in the A-League, joins from Lithuanian side FK Sudova having also plied his trade in the US, Serbia and Armenia.

"From what I've heard he's just an out-and-out striker sitting up front," Fury striker David Williams told au.fourfourtwo.com.

"His English is very good and he's got experience playing in Europe. Hopefully we'll get some good combinations working.

Williams added: "Hopefully like other African players, he'll bring something different to the squad that we haven't had already."