Football: From Salah to Mbeumo - Here is every Premier League player set to feature at AFCON 2025
2025 AFCON expected to be the best edition yet
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted in Morocco between December 2025 and January 2026, and there is widespread expectation that this year’s edition could be the best one we’ve ever seen.
A major contributing factor to that outlook is the star-studded rosters that teams across Africa now have, with some nations, such as Nigeria, Senegal and the host nation Morocco, being made up of players who ply their trade in the best leagues in Europe.
For clubs, though, the AFCON brings major difficulty, given that many of their star players will depart to join their national teams, and the Premier League is one of the most heavily affected in this regard.
One club that is heading toward a massive shake-up is Sunderland, who are enjoying an incredible return to the English top flight, but have as many as nine players set to depart next month, including the likes of Noah Sadiki, Simon Adingra and Arthur Masuaku.
Wolverhampton Wanderers will bid adieu to five of their first-team players, while Manchester United’s trio of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are also set to return to their homelands through the busy Christmas period.
Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim has already mentioned that his side are likely to find it difficult during this period, given how much of an impact Mbeumo and Diallo in particular have had on the team this season.
Full list of Premier League players expected to depart for AFCON
Of the 20 English Premier League teams, only three - Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds United - do not have any players listed to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations in December. For the Gunners, this could be the period in which they solidify their title charge.
Here is a list of every player expected to feature at AFCON 2025
Arsenal: None
Aston Villa: Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast)
Bournemouth: Amine Adli (Morocco)
Brentford: Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)
Brighton: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon)
Burnley: Lyle Foster (South Africa), Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia)
Chelsea: None
Crystal Palace: Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Christantus Uche (Nigeria), Chadi Riad (Morocco), Cheick Doucoure (Mali)
Everton: Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal)
Fulham: Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria)
Leeds United: None
Liverpool: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Manchester United: Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)
Manchester City: Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)
Newcastle United: Yoane Wissa (DR Congo)
Nottingham Forest: Ola Aina (Nigeria), Wily Boly (Ivory Coast), Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast)
Sunderland: Noah Sadiki (DR Congo), Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast), Chemsdini Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Ahmed Abdullahi (Nigeria), Habib Diarra (Senegal), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Blondy Noukeu (Cameroon), Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)
Tottenham: Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal), Yves Bissouma (Mali)
West Ham: El Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)
Wolves: Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast), Jackson Tchatchoua (Cameroon), Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe), Tolu Arokodare (Nigeria).
