Manchester United and several Premier League clubs have received a major boost after FIFA introduced a new, later release date for players heading to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Initially, clubs were expected to release their African stars on December 8, but according to reports from the Daily Mail, the deadline has been pushed back to December 15. The change means Premier League sides will be able to field key players for at least one more league fixture before they depart for international duty.
For Manchester United, the update could see Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon) and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) available for their game against Bournemouth on December 15 — though it remains uncertain whether players can feature on the same day as the new release deadline. Manager Ruben Amorim had earlier promised the club would do “everything” possible to delay their departures.
Sunderland are also set to benefit, especially with their highly anticipated Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle scheduled for December 14. However, participation for players like Simon Adingra and Chemsdine Talbi remains doubtful.
The extension has positive implications for other top clubs too. Manchester City will have Omar Marmoush available, while Liverpool could still call on Mohamed Salah for their match against Brighton.
Despite the temporary relief, the Premier League is still expected to lose 45 players to AFCON, which kicks off on December 21. Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds United, and Newcastle United are the only clubs with no players heading to the tournament.
Players participating in AFCON could miss up to eight matches, including a potential FA Cup third-round tie, depending on how far their national teams progress.
As the tournament approaches, Premier League managers will be closely monitoring travel schedules, availability, and the impact the absences will have on their squads — with United among the clubs breathing a sigh of relief, at least for now.
