The Africa Cup of Nations is here, as 23 nations try to take the trophy away from holders Ivory Coast in what’s always a sensational and rather unique spectacle.
Unlike EURO and Copa America, Africa’s top continental scrap has traditionally been held in the winter, smack dab in the middle of club season.
MORE — AFCON preview | AFCON groups | AFCON young players to watch
And this season as much as any other, it’s affecting Premier League sides in a big way aside from the absences of big names like Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Manchester United’s Amad Diallo.
Take newly-promoted Sunderland, who are flying this season thanks to the rewards of acquiring six players who have now left the Black Cats for AFCON. Now we see the risk part.
Below, you’ll find a list of the Premier League players who dot the AFCON rosters for the tournament, which runs from December 21 through January 18.
Premier League players at the Africa Cup of Nations
Algeria: Rayan Ait-Nouri (Manchester City)
Burkina Faso: Bertrand Traore (Sunderland), Dango Ouattara (Brentford)
Cameroon: Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United), Carlos Baleba (Brighton)
Dem Rep of Congo: Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Arthur Masuaku (Sunderland), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland)
Egypt: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Ivory Coast: Willy Boly (Nottingham Forest), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Emmanuel Agabdou (Wolves)
Mali: Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur)
Morocco: Chemsdine Talbi (Sunderland), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United)
Mozambique: Reinildo Mandava (Sunderland)
Nigeria: Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham), Calvin Bassey (Fulham), Alex Iwobi (Fulham), Frank Onyeka (Brentford)
Senegal: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham United), Habib Diarra (Sunderland)
South Africa: Lyle Foster (Burnley)
Tunisia: Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley)
Zimbabwe: Tawanda Chirewa (Wolves)
