Manchester United are locked in talks over releasing Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui for the Africa Cup of Nations, and still don’t know if they will be available for Monday’s clash with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
The match falls on the deadline day set by FIFA for players to report for Afcon duty after world football’s governing body allowed them to stay with their clubs for an extra week.
Mazraoui is due to be in action for hosts Morocco in the opening game against Comoros a week on Sunday, but Mbeumo and Diallo aren’t in action for Cameroon and Ivory Coast until Christmas Eve.