"The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off earlier than usual this year - with up to 17 Premier League clubs set to be affected by players jetting off to host country Morocco. The tournament runs from 21 December until 18 January. There has been no official announcement about which date clubs will have to release their players by - and it could vary depending on agreements. Players could miss up to six, or in some cases seven, Premier League matches - plus FA Cup and Carabao Cup games - if they reach the final."
"The group stages end on 31 December, so quickly eliminated players may only miss half that amount. Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds do not have any players due to play in the 2025 Afcon - with Sunderland and Wolves losing the most players. BBC Sport looks at which teams are due to lose players. Villa's only player at Afcon will be Ivory Coast forward Evann Guessand. However, the 24-year-old has only started five Premier League matches - so Villa will be confident of coping without him."
The Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January, potentially affecting up to 17 Premier League clubs. Players may miss six or seven league fixtures plus domestic cup ties if their teams progress to the final, with group-stage exits reducing absences. Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds have no representatives, while Sunderland and Wolves face the largest losses. Some clubs expect minimal disruption because affected players have limited starts, but others will miss key starters such as Brighton's Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr, impacting squad selection and results.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]