Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal To Lose Seven Players For AFCON

BIG-name players in the English Premier League are set to head off to Ivory Coast to represent their national teams at next year’s African Cup of Nations between January, 13 and February, 11, 2024 ·

Twenty-four countries have made it through qualification which wrapped up last week. They are Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Namibia, Egypt, Guinea, Ghana, Angola, Algeria, Tanzania, Mali, Gambia, Zambia, Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Mauritania, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, Morocco, Senegal and Mozambique.

The likes of Manchester United’s Andre Onana (Cameroon), Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey (Ghana) will be out of action for the busy winter months.

Nottingham Forest is the most affected by AFCON with as many as eight players up for selection. Their long list includes Moussa Niakhate (Senegal), Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast), Ola Aina (Nigeria), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nigeria) and Emmanuel Dennis (Nigeria).

Meanwhile, West Ham could have up to four playing in the Ivory Coast in four months: Nayef Aguerd (Morocco), Mohammed Kudus (Ghana), Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast) and Said Benrahma (Algeria).

READ: Super Falcons Forward Oparanozie Retires From Football

Besides Onana, Manchester United are also likely to be without new signing Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco). 

Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) and Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia) are also in contention to be named in their respective AFCON squads. Arsenal will miss Partey and Mohamed Elneny (Egypt) while Chelsea won’t be able to call upon the services of striker Nicolas Jackson (Senegal).