Many African players will be absent from the Premier League in January because the AFCON 2023 kicks off on January 14 in Ivory Coast. Approximately 46 players will be unable to play for their teams during this critical period. Mohamed Salah of Liverpool will captain the Egypt team, while Yoane Wissa of Brentford will lead the attack for the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana will also compete for his country.
Andre Onana to leave on January 15
After playing against Tottenham Hotspur on January 14, Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana will go directly to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This is possible because everyone involved has agreed to it. The 27-year-old player from Cameroon will still be able to participate in United’s FA Cup third-round match against Wigan Athletic on Monday. After that, he will join the team for the game against Spurs at Old Trafford six days later.
FECAFOOT understands that Manchester United did not plan for Onana to be absent during a crucial part of the season. They are hesitant about his participation affecting United’s performance in the top-level English competition. Because FECAFOOT played a role in Onana’s decision, they wanted to cooperate with United to find a solution that allows him to play for both teams as much as possible.
If Cameroon doesn’t advance from their AFCON group (which includes Senegal and Gambia), he might not miss any United matches. Their last group game is against Gambia on January 23, four days before United’s potential FA Cup fourth-round match if they win against Wigan.
🚨 Andre Onana will travel to Africa Cup of Nations after Man Utd v Spurs on Jan 14. Goalkeeper available for Cameroon v Guinea on Jan 15. Amicable agreement reached between all parties to maximise club and country game time @TheAthleticFC #AFCON2023 #MUFC https://t.co/G2mNgCXhzY
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 3, 2024
If Cameroon goes ahead in the tournament, and depending on how far they go, Manchester United’s next Premier League match is against Wolverhampton Wanderers on February 1. The team led by Erik ten Hag will play against West Ham United on February 4 and face Aston Villa on February 11, which is also the day of the AFCON final. Ten Hag has expressed complete trust in the backup goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, who was signed in the summer from Fenerbahce but hasn’t played yet. Another option for United is Tom Heaton. Even though Onana stopped playing for Cameroon in 2022 due to a disagreement with FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o during the World Cup, he was still included in Cameroon’s 27-player squad for the AFCON last Thursday.
