African Cup of Nations: Premier League Players Going

The African Cup of Nations begins next month, with over 30 Premier League players set to miss several weeks of the season as they head to Cameroon.

Arsenal, Leicester City and Watford are each set to lose a league-high four players.

Liverpool will lose three – including forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane – as will Crystal Palace.

Chelsea are going to be without keeper Edouard Mendy, who could miss the Fifa Club World Cup and league games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham, among others.

Leeds, Newcastle, Norwich and Tottenham are the only clubs not to lose anybody.

With the tournament set to begin on Sunday, 9 January, players can remain at their clubs until 3 January and return to England the day after their teams are knocked out.

The final and third-place play-off is on Sunday, 6 February.However, many clubs are currently negotiating with various national teams to try to delay the date they have to release their players.

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The European Club Association (ECA) has expressed its “deep concerns” regarding player welfare before the tournament because of the “worsening public health situation” around Covid and is seeking urgent talks with world governing body FIFA.

Arsenal(4)

Thomas Partey (Ghana), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast), Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)

Leicester City (4)Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi (both Nigeria), Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Nampalys Mendy (Senegal)*

*Mendy is not in Leicester’s Premier League squad

Watford (4)

Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), William Troost-Ekong (both Nigeria), Adam Masina, Imran Louza (both Morocco)

Emmanuel Dennis and Peter Etebo were not included in the Nigeria squad

Crystal Palace (3)

Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)

Liverpool (3)

Naby Keita (Guinea), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mane (Senegal)

Aston Villa (2)

Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Trezeguet (Egypt)

Marvelous Nakamba was not included in the Zimbabwe squad due to injury

Wolverhampton Wanderers (2)

Willy Boly (Ivory Coast)*, Romain Saiss (Morocco)

*Boly has not played in the Premier League because of injury this season

Brentford (1)

Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)

Julian Jeanvier was not selected by Guinea and Tariqe Fosu was left out of the Ghana squad

Brighton & Hove Albion (1)

Yves Bissouma (Mali)

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Burnley (1)

Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)

Chelsea (1)

Edouard Mendy (Senegal)

Hakim Ziyech was not included in the Morocco squad

Everton (1)

Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)

Jean-Philippe Gbamin was not included in the Ivory Coast squad

Manchester City (1)

Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

Manchester United (1)

Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast)

Amad Diallo was not included in the Ivory Coast squad

Southampton (1)

Moussa Djenepo (Mali)

Mohammed Salisu was not included in the Ghana squad

West Ham United (1)

Said Benrahma (Algeria)

No players from Leeds United, Newcastle United, Norwich City & Tottenham Hotspur

What are some of the affected key games in this time?

• FA Cup third and fourth-round ties
• Chelsea’s Fifa Club World Cup matches
• 28 December: Leicester v Liverpool
• 1 January: Arsenal v Manchester City
• 2 January: Chelsea v Liverpool
• 14 January: Brighton v Crystal Palace
• 15 January: Manchester City v Chelsea
• 16 January: Tottenham v Arsenal
• 23 January: Chelsea v Tottenham

Source: BBC Sports