What You Need to Know
Manchester United is working to retain Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui beyond the December release date for the Africa Cup of Nations. The club hopes to keep the trio until after their match against Bournemouth on December 15, despite the tournament starting shortly after. Discussions with national federations are planned to negotiate their availability.
Africa. Manchester United will do everything possible to keep Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui at the club a little longer in December.
The trio will participate in the Africa Cup of Nations with their respective national teams, which, as usual, will take place during the regular season. This dual schedule always creates a delicate situation.
Clubs must do without players for a certain time when they could be utilized. This time, Manchester United is looking to see if Mbeumo, Amad, and Mazraoui can remain a bit longer at Old Trafford.
According to the regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations, players must be released two weeks before the first match, around December 8.
Manchester United faces Wolverhampton Wanderers on that day at Molineux. The Red Devils wish to keep their three players until after the match against Bournemouth, at least until December 15.
Morocco (and thus Mazraoui) begins its competition on December 21. Cameroon and Ivory Coast, the countries of Mbeumo and Amad, will start their campaigns on December 24.
What United is attempting is not unusual. Two years ago, the club managed to keep André Onana in Manchester until the eve of Cameroon’s first match. The goalkeeper ultimately missed only one match with the Mancunians.
Coach Rúben Amorim stated that the club would discuss with national federations to delay the players’ departures. “There are rules governing the departure of players, but we are trying to keep them a little longer,” acknowledged the Portuguese player.
“But the decision is not ours. We will see. We will certainly try to find an arrangement with the federations.”
The Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) is a biennial international football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It features national teams from across Africa and is known for its competitive spirit and talent showcase. The tournament often overlaps with club seasons, leading to challenges for clubs in retaining their players during this critical period.
In recent years, clubs have sought to negotiate player availability to minimize disruptions. Manchester United’s previous success in retaining players like André Onana demonstrates the ongoing efforts by clubs to balance domestic and international commitments, ensuring they can field their strongest teams.
