Premier League clubs are bracing themselves to lose several key stars as the Africa Cup of Nations looms.
Up to 17 teams could be impacted by the tournament which runs from December 21 to January 18, with as many as 45 stars jetting out.
Playing in Africa’s showpiece tournament is a dream for the continent’s footballers but its biennial scheduling proves disruptive for elite European clubs.
AFCON is typically held in January and February to line up with Africa’s dry season and that has proven a stumbling block for clubs like Liverpool in the past.
Now high-flying Sunderland will feel to pinch as they are set to lose seven stars to the competition.
Forwards Chemesdine Talbi (Morocco), Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast), and Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso) will be a major miss for Regis Le Bris.
Defenders Arthur Masuaka (Dr Congo), Noah Sadiki (Dr Congo), and Reinildo (Mozambique) are also likely to jet off, as well as Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra.
While Diarra has been injured since September, these are all important first-team players.
Basement boys Wolves will be hit second-hardest by AFCON with five stars poised to fly out. Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe), Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast), Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria), and Jackson Tchatchoua (Cameroon) make up the crew.
At the other end of the scale, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Leeds can sleep easy knowing that none of their players will be going to AFCON. Newcastle may join them depending on whether Yoane Wissa is called up by DR Congo after his knee injury.
Manchester City will likely lose Omar Marmoush to Egpyt and Rayan Ait-Nouri to Algeria, two players who are not regular starters but impactful off the bench.
Most teams fall into the bracket of having between one and three players preparing to play in African football’s showpiece tournament.
The clash of calendars is an issue every other year for clubs in Europe, but being asked to represent your country is the highest honour. AFCON is a huge tournament, representing a continent of around 1.55 billion inhabitants, and players are unanimous in standing behind it.
Almost two billion people are said to have watched the thrilling 2023 edition, which Ivory Coast won.
But players have seemingly felt pressure trying to combine it with their club obligations. Andre Onana missed Cameroon’s AFCON opener last year after flying out less than a day in advance because Manchester United wanted him to play against Tottenham.
In the past, striker Sebastien Haller (formerly of West Ham) has blasted the ‘disrespect’ shown towards the tournament.
In 2021, while he was at Ajax, he reacted strongly when asked by Dutch media whether he would be choosing to answer the call of his country.
‘This question shows the disrespect for Africa,’ he told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
‘Would this question ever get asked to a European player ahead of the EUROs? Of course I am going to the Africa Cup [of Nations].
‘This tournament was actually supposed to be held in the summer, but was postponed due to Covid.
‘Of course I will go to the Africa Cup to represent Ivory Coast. That is the highest honour.’
