Man Utd Uncertain Over Mbeumo, Mazraoui, and Diallo Ahead of Bournemouth Clash
Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui has struggled with injuries, but started recent games against West Ham and Wolves to hint that he may be fit for the Bournemouth match.
Bryan Mbeumo (19) of Manchester United during the English championship Premier League football match between Fulham and Manchester United on 24 August 2025 at Craven Cottage in London, England. Photo/Courtesy.
By Ruth Sang
With less than a week until the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway, Manchester United are sweating on the availability of three key men as Bournemouth visit on Monday night. Manager Ruben Amorim admitted he is still in talks with the national teams of Bryan Mbeumo, Noussair Mazraoui, and Amad Diallo, with their involvement against Bournemouth still up in the air.
FIFA confirmed recently that the release period for the biennial AFCON tournament will be seven days shorter, starting on Monday, December 15, 2025. United are due to host Bournemouth on that day which could lead to a potential dispute over whether the trio are available for selection ahead of linking up with their national sides in Morocco.
Bryan Mbeumo, who plays for Cameroon, is the top scorer this season for Manchester United in the Premier League with six goals, while Amad Diallo is a regular for the Ivory Coast national team and has also played an important role this term. Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui has struggled with injuries, but started recent games against West Ham and Wolves to hint that he may be fit for the Bournemouth match.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Amorim explained the difficult scenario of planning for Monday’s game. “We are still in conversations with the national teams. The game is just Monday. They are here, they are training, and we are trying to prepare all scenarios for the match,” he explained. The manager acknowledged this was frustrating but acknowledged the squad were able to adapt. “We have players to cope with everything, and with a long week, you can see a lot of things and work to prepare the game in any situation,” he continued.
Mazraoui is set to play in Morocco’s AFCON opener against Comoros on December 21, while Mbeumo and Diallo start their tournament three days later. Asked about the timeline for clarity, Amorim replied: “I don’t know if it’s going to be the same situation. It depends on the games. Every national team has their ideas when they want the players. I expect today to have a decision or maybe tomorrow, but we are waiting until the last moment to have all the players to choose the best team to start the game.”
Excluding that AFCON uncertainty, United shall be without defenders Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt in the visiting squad of Bournemouth. In some good news, striker Benjamin Sesko may return for the first time since suffering a knee injury five weeks ago against Tottenham. Currently, Manchester United sit sixth in the Premier League off the back of a convincing 4-1 victory at Wolves earlier this week. Amorim will now need to balance preparations for Bournemouth while monitoring the fitness and availability of his Africa Cup of Nations-bound players.
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