Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insists the club possesses sufficient depth and tactical flexibility to successfully navigate the crucial festive period despite losing two key players to the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.
The two players departing are winger Amad Diallo, who joins the Ivory Coast squad, and forward Bryan Mbeumo, who links up with Cameroon. Both Diallo and Mbeumo played their final club match for United on Monday night as the Red Devils drew 4-4 with Bournemouth in the Premier League thriller at Old Trafford.
The duo will now join their respective national teams’ training camps this week before the AFCON competition kicks off on Sunday, December 21, 2025.
Speaking during his post-match press conference, the Portuguese coach confirmed the immediate nature of their departure and outlined the necessary adjustments his technical staff will implement:
“Amad and Mbeumo will go for the AFCON now. “We will try to find a solution with the players that we have. We are ready to cope. “We will try to find a way to score the goals in a different way,” he said.
The result against Bournemouth sees Manchester United drop into 6th position on the Premier League table, sitting behind Arsenal, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace, intensifying the pressure on Amorim and his remaining squad to secure results during the absence of the two impactful African stars. United’s right flank is significantly affected, as Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui also heads to the AFCON, leaving Amorim without three crucial contributors.
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