Amad (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) and Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon) have been called up by national teams to participate in the AFCON football Cup, which kicks off on December 21.
The mandatory deadline for clubs to allow their African international players to leave is Monday, December 15, the same day Man United will face Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Speaking before this match, coach Ruben Amorim left open the possibility that three players could still play against Bournemouth. He said: "We are still discussing with the national teams. The match is taking place on Monday, the players are here, practicing and we are trying to prepare every situation to be ready for the match.
The Portuguese tactician has not been really happy with the situation United are facing. But he also stressed that the team has enough players to deal with any situation. That is the benefit of Man United having a week to practice, observe everything and focus on preparing for the match.
The Mbeumo winger has been Man United's top scorer in the Premier League this season with six goals, while Diallo has also played regularly for the Old Trafford side.
Meanwhile, Mazraoui, who has struggled with injuries, has started in games against West Ham and Wolves.
Continuing the theme of AFCON, Amorim said that each national team has its own views on when they need players. Therefore, he hopes that the Ivorian, Cameroon and Morocco teams will soon have a decision on personnel, so that Man United can soon finalize the list and choose the best lineup to play Bournemouth.
After the trio set foot in Africa to participate in a tournament held in Morocco, they will play at least three matches.
That means Amad, Mazraoui and Mbeumo will definitely be absent from Premier League games against Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Wolves.
The AFCON final will take place on January 18, 2026. Therefore, if any Man United player goes deep into the final match, they will be absent from the matches against Leeds United, Burnley, Brighton & Hove Albion ( FA Cup) and Manchester City.
The match between Man United and Bournemouth takes place at 3:00 am on December 16 (Vietnam time).
