This year’s edition of the Africa Cup of Nations threatens to destabilise a host of Premier League outfits during the winter period, with one team potentially losing up to nine players
Tom Sunderland Sports Writer
08:00, 15 Nov 2025
Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo are both expected to head to the Africa Cup of Nations next month(Image: Matt West/Shutterstock)
The return of the Africa Cup of Nations means Premier League teams are once again at risk of losing certain star talents for up to one month. The biennial competition will kick off on December 21 and runs through to January 18, which is traditionally a busy period in the English calendar.
And while some teams will weather the storm with relatively few losses, others are at risk of losing a raft of talent. Premier League leaders Arsenal, for example, don’t have a single African star in the current first-team squad, while Sunderland could see as many as nine players leave for the tournament.
It’s the kind of difference that could make or break a season and some clubs can’t afford the sacrifice around this time of year. Just three teams aren’t at risk of missing any players, with Chelsea and Leeds being the other outfits without any African stars at present.
A total of 24 teams will compete at the 2025 AFCON, with hosts Morocco the favourites to lift the title. Manchester United, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace each have one Moroccan within their respective squads and a deep run could see that quartet miss a key chunk of the winter schedule.
The Red Devils could end up being the English heavyweight worst affected by the AFCON’s arrival. While most major teams will have a maximum of just one or two players absent for a period, Ruben Amorim could have to make do with up to four players missing.
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Luckily for him, it will have little effect if Cameroon keeper Andre Onana is called up given he’s on loan at Trabzonspor. However, it’s a different matter altogether if in-form Bryan Mbeumo goes far with Cameroon, while Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) are also in contention.
Liverpool’s sole contender for the competition is a big one too, as Mohamed Salah prepares to travel with Egypt. The four-time Premier League Golden Boot-winner has been off the boil so far this term, though his absence won’t aid Arne Slot’s hopes for a successful title defence.
Arne Slot could be without Mohamed Salah for up to a month this winter(Image: PA)
Manchester City are also set to go without an Egyptian of their own if Omar Marmoush makes the cut as expected. The Pharaohs have reached two of the last four AFCON finals and can’t be ruled out of launching another lunge at this year’s crown.
No team comes remotely close to matching Sunderland’s contingent of possible absentees, however, with up to nine players set to be missing during the AFCON. That includes inspirational Morocco winger Chemsdine Talbi, Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra, frequent starter Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast) and Mozambique veteran Reinildo Mandava.
Potential Premier League AFCON Call-ups
Bournemouth: Amine Adli (Morocco)
Arsenal: No African players in current first-team squad
Aston Villa: Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast)
Brentford: Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria),
Brighton: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon)
Burnley: Axel Tuanzebe (Democratic Republic of Congo), Manuel Benson (Angola), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)
Chelsea: No African players in current first-team squad
Crystal Palace: Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Christantus Uche (Nigeria), Cheick Doucoure (Mali), Chadi Riad (Morocco)
Everton: Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal)
Fulham: Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria)
Leeds: No African players in current first-team squad
Liverpool: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Manchester City: Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)
Manchester United: Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Andre Onana (Cameroon), Bryan Mbuemo (Cameroon)
Newcastle: Yoane Wissa (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Nottingham Forest: Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nigeria), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast), Ola Aina (Nigeria)
Sunderland: Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Blondy Nna Noukeu (Cameroon), Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique), Habib Diarra (Senegal), Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast), Arthur Masuaku (Democratic Republic of Congo), Noah Sadiki (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ahmed Abdullahi (Nigeria), Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)
Tottenham: Yves Bissouma (Mali), Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)
West Ham: El Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Wolves: Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast), Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria), Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Jackson Tchatchoua (Cameroon)
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