Premier League teams prepare to lose African stars to AFCON 2023
With the African Cup of Nations set for the start of 2024, we look at the players that could be involved, and the games they could be missing.
The stage is set for the highly anticipated 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with 24 countries gearing up for an exciting winter tournament. Scheduled to kick off on 13 January 2024, and culminate with the final on 11 February, AFCON promises intense competition and showcases the footballing talent from across the African continent. Notably, a significant contingent of Premier League players is expected to participate, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the event, and concerns for some clubs and fans.
Last month the AFCON 2023 draw for the group stage of the 2023 AFCON took place in the Ivorian capital Abidjan and it was Group C that caught many an eye as reigning champions Senegal were pitted along with Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia. But away from the individual nations worrying about their opposition in the tournament, clubs around the world were starting to ponder time without their African stars.
Teams in the Premier League know from experience how the start of the calendar year, and therefore the second half of the domestic season, can be crucial to them as they jostle for position in the table. So losing key players is the last thing they want. Nottingham Forest emerge as the club that could be most significantly affected, with eight key players, including Emmanuel Dennis and Taiwo Awoniyi, possibly absent for an extended period. Over in Liverpool, one of the greatest players to grace the English top flight, Mohamed Salah, will be aiming to demonstrate once again why he’s the Egyptian King.
In contrast, Manchester City and Newcastle United seem poised to escape unscathed,
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