Who will be attending? Who will suffer the biggest player exodus? Which matches will they be absent for?

The Africa Cup of Nations is set to kick off on January 13, disregarding the European football calendar. This biannual tournament, traditionally held at this time of year, has caused disruptions for European clubs as players are called up to represent their countries. While the tournament has recently been held in odd-numbered years and even moved to the summer, the past two editions have returned to the winter schedule. However, plans are in place to shift the tournament to June/July starting from 2025.

The timing of the Africa Cup of Nations has always been a source of frustration for managers, as they lose players for a significant period of time. In addition to missing games, there are concerns about injuries, malaria, and even the threat of kidnapping and murder. Despite the Premier League implementing a winter break in January, the absence of players will still be felt by clubs.

Let’s take a look at some of the Premier League clubs and the players they will be missing during the tournament:

Arsenal:
– Mohamed Elneny (Egypt): While Elneny’s absence may not be felt too badly at Arsenal due to his limited playing time, he will miss several fixtures including a game against Liverpool.

Aston Villa:
– Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso): Traore has not been a regular in Villa’s starting lineup, so his absence is unlikely to have a significant impact on the team.

Bournemouth:
– Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Antoine Semenyo (Ghana): Bournemouth will be without two key players who have helped them climb the table in recent months.

Brentford:
– Yoane Wissa (Congo), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria): Brentford will miss two important players for potentially six games, which could be a challenge for the team.

Brighton:
– Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast): Adingra’s absence may not be a major concern for Brighton, as they have enough options to cover for him.

Chelsea:
– Nicolas Jackson (Senegal): Chelsea will be without Jackson, which could disrupt his settling-in period at the club. The team may need to consider diving into the transfer market for reinforcements.

Crystal Palace:
– Jordan Ayew (Ghana): Ayew’s absence will be felt by Palace, as he has been a mainstay in the team’s first XI.

Everton:
– Idrissa Gana Gueye (Senegal): Gueye’s absence could be a significant loss for Everton, as he has played a crucial role in the team’s recent success.

Fulham:
– Fode Ballo-Toure (Senegal), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Alex Iwobi (Nigeria): Fulham will miss two key players in Bassey and Iwobi, but Ballo-Toure could benefit from gaining valuable game time during the tournament.

Liverpool:
– Mohamed Salah (Egypt): Liverpool will be without their star player, but they have enough firepower in their squad to cope with his absence.

These are just a few examples of the players Premier League clubs will be missing during the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament will undoubtedly have an impact on the league, and it will be interesting to see how teams cope without their key players.