Manchester United are reportedly seeking to delay the departures of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a bid to maintain squad depth during a congested December schedule.

Under tournament regulations, clubs are required to release African internationals two weeks before their national teams’ opening matches. This would mean United potentially losing the trio around the Premier League clash with Wolves at Molineux on 8 December.

AFCON Schedule and United’s Concerns

Full-back Mazraoui, who represents Morocco, will feature in the tournament hosted by his country, starting against Comoros on 21 December. Meanwhile, Amad Diallo of Ivory Coast and Mbeumo of Cameroon both play their opening matches on 24 December. The AFCON final is scheduled for 18 January 2026, meaning United could be without all three players for up to eight Premier League games as well as a potential FA Cup third-round tie.

With Mbeumo and Amad being regular starters and Mazraoui now fit to provide defensive cover, United are aiming to negotiate with the respective football federations to delay their departures until at least after the home game against Bournemouth on 15 December. This would also give manager Ruben Amorim flexibility ahead of the Premier League fixture at Aston Villa on 21 December.

Historical Precedent: Andre Onana

Manchester United successfully kept goalkeeper Andre Onana with the squad until the day before Cameroon’s opening AFCON match two years ago, resulting in the Dutch keeper missing only a single FA Cup tie at Newport. The club hopes to achieve a similar arrangement this year with Mbeumo, Amad, and Mazraoui.

Manager Ruben Amorim explained:
“We have the rules for when we have to release the players [but] we are trying to have the players a bit longer. It is not just in our hands. We will see. We will try to arrange something with the federations.”

Squad Depth and Injury Considerations

Adding urgency to United’s plans is the fitness of Benjamin Sesko, who is recovering from a knee injury sustained against Tottenham on 8 November. Amorim indicated that Sesko is expected to be fit around the same time Mbeumo and Amad would be called up, making the retention of the African internationals even more crucial.

“He’s going to be out for a few weeks. It’s not that serious and we have to be careful with him,” said Amorim. “I don’t want to say for sure but when they go, I expect to have Ben back.”

If the trio were to leave on schedule, United would face a significant reshuffle in attack, with Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo—both used sparingly this season—likely to feature in key fixtures.

Key Takeaways

• Players involved: Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco)
• Potential missed fixtures: 8 Premier League games + FA Cup third-round tie
• Club objective: Delay departures until after 15 December (Bournemouth match)
• Injury factor: Benjamin Sesko recovery aligns with potential player retention
• Manager comment: Ruben Amorim in discussions with national federations

With December set to be one of the busiest periods in the Premier League calendar, the outcome of these negotiations could have a significant impact on Manchester United’s title ambitions and cup runs.