Overview
- AFCON runs from December 21 to January 18 during the busiest stretch of the English season, raising the prospect of up to a month of absences for selected players.
- Only Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds are currently listed with no African internationals, leaving them unlikely to lose players to the tournament.
- Sunderland are flagged as most exposed with up to nine potential call-ups, including Chemsdine Talbi, Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra and Reinildo Mandava.
- Liverpool are expected to be without Mohamed Salah if he joins Egypt, while Manchester United could lose Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo, with Andre Onana’s Cameroon call-up less consequential due to his Trabzonspor loan.
- Manchester City could be without Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri if selected, and hosts Morocco are cited as favourites in a 24-team field.