Arsenal
Takehiro Tomiyasu, a Japanese player, has suggested that the Asian Cup, scheduled for January 2027 in Saudi Arabia, should be held in June like the Euros. If Japan, the favorites, make it to the final, Tomiyasu will miss at least five games due to his participation. Meanwhile, Mohamed Elneny from Egypt will also be leaving for Afcon, but Ghana’s Thomas Partey, who is currently injured, did not make the selection.
Aston Villa
With Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso) last making a league appearance in October, Villa’s sole departee should not be too much of a loss. The club are well covered on the right wing with Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby impressing this season.
Bournemouth
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso) limped off in the defeat at Tottenham on Sunday with a swollen ankle but is set to travel to Ivory Coast. London-born Antoine Semenyo (Ghana) made his international debut in Afcon qualifying but has already become hugely influential for his country. Hamed Traorè has been withdrawn from Ivory Coast’s squad after Bournemouth revealed the midfielder was recovering from malaria.
Brentford
Unfortunately, the absence of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo due to injury, as well as the departure of Yoane Wissa (DR Congo) in the forward position, is a significant setback for the team. Additionally, Saman Ghoddos (Iran) has been a regular starter in Brentford’s last seven games. The departure of Frank Onyeka (Nigeria) in midfield is also a loss, but there is potential in teenager Kim Ji-soo (South Korea), who has yet to make his debut for the first team since joining over the summer.
Brighton
Kaoru Mitoma, a player from Japan, is one of the three athletes on this ranking who was chosen as one of the top 100 male footballers in the world by The Guardian. He will play a crucial role for his country in the upcoming Asian Cup. Tariq Lamptey’s injury has resulted in his exclusion from the Ghana team, and there were worries that Simon Adingra from Ivory Coast would face a similar fate due to a hamstring strain. However, the winger has denied rumors that his club Brighton is preventing him from participating in the Afcon.
Burnley
One of three sides not to lose a player. Lyle Foster was included in South Africa’s preliminary squad but was eventually omitted on mental health grounds, a decision that Burnley’s manager, Vincent Kompany, called sensible, despite starting the striker in Burnley’s past three matches. Anass Zaroury has been left out of the Morocco squad.
Chelsea
Nicolas Jackson (from Senegal) is the sole departure as he begins his first appearance in the Afcon, aiming to assist his nation in defending their title which they earned in Cameroon. The forward has divided opinions since transferring from Villarreal and will be absent for at least four games.
Crystal Palace
Jordan Ayew, a player from Ghana, is participating in his sixth Afcon and will be playing alongside his brother André. While he is not known for scoring many goals for his club or country, he is highly regarded for his intelligence and selfless running. Unfortunately, Cheick Doucouré will not be able to join Mali’s squad due to a season-ending achilles injury.
Everton
Idrissa Gueye, hailing from Senegal, is included in the preferred team alongside five other Premier League players. In 2022, Abdoulaye Doucouré made his debut for Mali, but rejected the opportunity to join his national team and instead focused on aiding Everton in their battle against relegation. He stated, “I am not interested in going.”
Fulham
Calvin Bassey, originally from Italy but raised in east London, is making his first appearance in the Afcon tournament for the Nigerian team. His teammate Alex Iwobi, also from Nigeria, is playing in his third Afcon tournament and hopes to replicate the success of his uncle Jay-Jay Okocha, who won the competition in 1994. Fodé Ballo-Touré from Senegal is another player who has left the team.
Liverpool
Unfortunately, the absence of Mohamed Salah (representing Egypt) is a major setback, as he currently shares the top spot in Premier League scoring with 14 goals. Supporters of Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Arsenal will be crossing their fingers for the 31-year-old to make it to the Afcon final once again. Meanwhile, Wataru Endo (representing Japan) has become a crucial player for Liverpool but will now be departing for the Asian Cup.
Luton
Issa Kaboré (Burkina Faso) departs having made a real impression on loan from Manchester City. The manager, Rob Edwards, will be heartened there was no place for Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu in the DR Congo squad.
Manchester City
City’s opponents for the title should be concerned as they do not have any players absent due to international duties.
Manchester United
André Onana from Cameroon will only be able to join his fellow countrymen 24 hours before their first Afcon match against Guinea. This is because he was given permission to play for United in their league game against Tottenham on January 14. He will also be eligible to play in the FA Cup match against Wigan on Monday. Sofyan Amrabat from Morocco has departed for Africa, but 21-year-old Amad Diallo will not be joining Ivory Coast’s squad. Diallo recently made his first appearance of the season in the team’s loss against Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle
They are not participating in either tournament, however there have been rumors of a potential January transfer for Salernitana’s striker Boulaye Dia, who is currently on Senegal’s team.
Nottingham Forest
Six players from Premier League teams will be absent due to their participation in the Afcon tournament. Three of these players, Serge Aurier, Willy Boly, and Ibrahim Sangaré, will be representing the host country, Ivory Coast. The other three players, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Moussa Niakhaté, and Ola Aina, will be missed by their team’s new manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, as they compete for Senegal and Nigeria respectively.
Sheffield United
The Blades get off relatively lightly with Anis Ben Slimane (Tunisia) the only first-team regular to depart. Yasser Larouci (Algeria) was a surprise Afcon inclusion but the former Liverpool academy player has yet to play since joining on loan from Troyes in the summer.
Tottenham
The absence of three key players has left Tottenham with a limited team. Pape Sarr (from Senegal) has been performing well and was rewarded with a long-term contract, while Yves Bissouma (from Mali) has also been impressive this season. The success of Tottenham may depend on how they fill the gap left by Son Heung-min (from South Korea), who may be unavailable until mid-February.
West Ham
Unfortunately, with Lucas Paquetá’s injury and Mohammed Kudus’ (Ghana) absence, this is a difficult time for David Moyes. His team lacked creativity in their uneventful 0-0 draw with Brighton on Tuesday. Additionally, Nayef Aguerd’s (Morocco) absence is another setback, as he has been rumored to potentially move to Roma, Milan, or Saudi Arabia in January.
Wolves
Hwang Hee-chan, a player from South Korea, has helped Wolves move up to 11th place in the Premier League with a total of 10 goals. This is more than what Ollie Watkins and Alexander Isak have achieved. Boubacar Traoré, a player from Mali, has mainly played as a substitute. However, the loss of Rayan Aït-Nouri from Algeria is a significant setback for the team. The left-back had chosen to represent Algeria instead of France last year. Justin Hubner, an under-21 player from Indonesia, has been chosen for the team.
Source: theguardian.com
