News, Politics , Sports, Business, Entertainment, World,Lifestyle, Technology , Tourism, Gh Songs | News, Politics , Sports, Business, Entertainment, World,Lifestyle, Technology , Tourism, Gh Songs |
Liverpool and Arsenal will be among the worst-affected Premier League teams after the decision to move the Africa Cup of Nations back to January.
The Africa Cup of Nations has been rescheduled with the 2021 tournament in Cameroon set to be held next January. The 2019 competition – held in Egypt and won by Algeria – took place in June and July but the latest decision is set to have a big impact on the Premier League.
Table-toppers Liverpool could lose Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mane (Senegal) and Naby Keita (Guinea) for up to a month next season.
And Arsenal are also set to be badly impacted with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) and Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast) potentially missing as many as six matches during the 2020/21 campaign.
The tournament had only recently moved to its summer slot, with the 2017 decision backed by most top clubs around Europe.
But next year’s competition will be held from January 9 to February 6 in order to avoid soaring temperatures in Cameroon.
The change means the AFCON will not clash with the Club World Cup taking place in China in June, but will have a big impact on the Premier League.
The English top flight traditionally has a packed fixture list at the turn of the year, meaning there will be even more pressure on over-stretched squads.
Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has also suggested that this change in schedule could stop bosses from signing African players.
“It definitely affects your thinking when it comes to signing African players,” he told BBC World Service.
“Invariably when they come back from the tournament, they’re not the same. They don’t seem to recover from the rigours of the Cup of Nations.
“You’ll suddenly lose players for six to eight weeks because they will go away to a training camp before.
“When you’re signing players, you do look at it and if they’re going away to the Cup of Nations, sometimes you think: ‘I’ll give this one a miss.’”
So which Premier League players could miss a large chunk of next season due to the Africa Cup of Nations moving?
Arsenal – Pierre-Emerick Aubmaeyang (Gabon), Mohamed Elneny (Egypt – currently on loan at Besiktas), Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast)
Aston Villa – Ahmed Elmohamady (Egypt), Jonathan Kodjia (Ivory Coast), Marvelous Nakamba (Zimbabwe), Trezeguet (Egypt)
Bournemouth – None
Brighton & Hove Albion – Leon Balogun (Nigeria), Yves Bissouma (Mali), Gaetan Bong (Cameroon), Percy Tau (South Africa – currently on loan at Club Brugge)
Burnley – None
Chelsea – None
Crystal Palace – Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
Everton – Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo – currently on loan at Sporting Lisbon), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Ivory Coast), Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Oumar Niasse (Senegal)
Leicester City – Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Rachid Ghezzal (Algeria – currently on loan at Fiorentina), Kelechi Ịheanachọ (Nigeria), Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria), Islam Slimani (Algeria – currently on loan at Monaco)
Liverpool – Naby Keita (Guinea), Sadio Mane (Senegal), Joel Matip (Cameroon – has retired from international football), Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane could miss up to six matches next season (Image: GETTY)
Manchester City – Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)
Manchester United – Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast)
Newcastle United – Christian Atsu (Ghana), Henri Saivet (Senegal)
Norwich City – None
Sheffield United – None
Southampton – Sofiane Boufal (Morocco), Moussa Djenepo (Mali), Mario Lemina (Gabon – currently on loan at Galatasaray)
Tottenham Hotspur – Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast), Victor Wanyama (Kenya)
Watford – Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Isaac Success (Nigeria)
West Ham United – Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo)
Wolverhampton Wanderers – Romain Saiss (Morocco)
*List based on current international squads and dependent on qualification
Source:www.express.co.uk/
