January football in England is always chaotic. Tight schedules, tired legs, and transfer rumours everywhere. But every two years, there is another unavoidable disruption that reshapes the Premier League calendar entirely: the Africa Cup of Nations.
AFCON 2025, set to be hosted in Morocco, will once again pull elite African talent away from English clubs right in the middle of the season. This time, the impact is significant. A total of 33 Premier League-based players are heading to the tournament, leaving managers scrambling for solutions and supporters anxiously debating depth charts and youth promotions.
While AFCON remains one of world football’s most celebrated competitions, its timing continues to spark debate in England, with many coaches and fans not happy with the fact that some of their key players having to go off to the tournament for a month.
Manchester United Lose Momentum At A Crucial Time
Source: United Bloke on X
Manchester United’s January plans may now need more rethinking than they did at the start of the season. Bryan Mbeumo’s departure for Cameroon removes one of their most consistent attacking threats, particularly in transition and counter-attacking phases. His work rate and finishing have made him a favourite among supporters this season, and his absence leaves United short of direct goal output.
Defensively, Noussair Mazraoui’s call-up for Morocco stretches squad depth further. His versatility across the back line has been valuable during an injury-hit campaign. Add Amad Diallo’s departure for Ivory Coast, and suddenly United are without pace, creativity, and defensive flexibility all at once.
Source: CentreDevils on X
Tottenham’s Midfield Balance Under Threat
Yves Bissouma, Source: L’Equipe on X
Tottenham’s issue is less about numbers and more about control. Losing Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr simultaneously removes the core of Spurs’ midfield engine. Bissouma’s form has been inconsistent, but his ball-winning ability remains vital. Sarr, meanwhile, has quietly become one of the team’s most important tactical pieces, covering ground and triggering the press.
Supporters have already pointed to this period as a potential turning point in Spurs’ already inconsistent season. There is optimism around Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall stepping into bigger roles, but AFCON rarely offers managers the luxury of gradual transitions.
Pape Matar Sarr
Source: Pape Matar Sarr on X
Sunderland Face An AFCON Storm
No Premier League club feels the disruption quite like Sunderland. Losing up to seven first-team players during a congested winter schedule is a logistical nightmare.
In midfield and defence, the exits of Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Arthur Masuaku, and Reinildo Mandava leave gaps that cannot be easily patched. Fans have praised Sunderland’s recruitment strategy, particularly its African pipeline, but many admit this is the downside of building such an internationally diverse squad.
AFCON’s Growing Prestige And Global Spotlight
Source: Sunderland AFC on X
For African football, AFCON 2025 represents more than just another tournament. Hosted by Morocco, one of the continent’s most organised footballing nations, expectations are high. Players like Mohamed Salah, Idrissa Gana Gueye, and Lyle Foster amongst others arrive carrying national hopes and massive public attention.
South African fans will be watching closely as Foster represents Burnley and Bafana Bafana, while Egyptian supporters once again rally behind Salah. Online, African supporters have pushed back against Premier League complaints, reminding critics that European competitions are never scheduled around African calendars either.
Premier League Players At AFCON 2025
Manchester United
Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon)
Amad Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire)
Manchester City
Omar Marmoush (Egypt)
Rayan Aït-Nouri (Algeria)
Liverpool
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Tottenham Hotspur
Yves Bissouma (Mali)
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)
Fulham
Calvin Bassey (Nigeria)
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)
Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria)
Brentford
Frank Onyeka (Nigeria)
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso)
Brighton And Hove Albion
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon)
West Ham United
El-Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)
Everton
Idrissa Gana Gueye (Senegal)
Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal)
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe)
Emmanuel Agbadou (Côte d’Ivoire)
Nottingham Forest
Willy Boly (Côte d’Ivoire)
Ibrahim Sangare (Côte d’Ivoire)
Crystal Palace
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal)
Burnley
Lyle Foster (South Africa)
Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo)
Hannibal Mejbri(Tunisia)
Sunderland
Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco)
Habib Diarra (Senegal)
Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo)
Noah Sadiki (DR Congo)
Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique)
Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso)
As the Premier League presses on through winter, AFCON 2025 will once again shift attention south. For a few weeks, Morocco becomes the centre of the footballing world, and English clubs are reminded that the game’s biggest stories are not confined to one league, one continent, or one calendar.
Source: SABC Sport
Featured Image Source: ManUnitedinPidgin on X
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