Amorim insists AFCON-bound Mbeumo, Diallo, training to face Brighton

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says African players slated to represent their respective nations at the 2025 Africa Cup Nations (AFCON) are still training with the team ahead of their Premier League fixture against Brighton.

The Red Devils are set to lose three African players for the AFCON. The players include Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).

The mandatory release date for clubs to release their African internationals is Monday December 15, the same day that United will face Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

Asked to explain the situation of the three players, Amorim responded as quoted by Man United website: “We are still in conversation with national teams. The game is Monday, they are here, they are training and we are trying to prepare all the scenarios to prepare the game.

‘We are waiting until the last moment’

“It’s frustrating, but nobody knows who’s going to play. It’s a good thing – we have players to cope with everything and that’s something [you get] with a long week, you can see a lot of things and work on several stuff to prepare the game.”

Amorim added on the situation: “I don’t know if it’s going to be the same situation [with each player], It depends on the games of every national team. They have their ideas about when they want the players.

“I expect today to have a decision or maybe tomorrow, but we are waiting until the last moment to [see if we can] have all the players available, to choose the best team to start the game.”

If the trio manage to play against Brighton, they will miss a maximum of three matches, unless their respective national team progress to the knockout stages. Diallo, Mazraoui and Mbeumo will definitely miss Premier League fixtures against Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Wolves.