Everton join clubs to threaten to block players from playing at AFCON
Everton are part of the group of clubs that have threatened to block players from featuring at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, according to Telegraph Sport.
In a letter sent to Fifa, the European Club Association have doubts over the ability of AFCON organisers to implement strict protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at next month’s tournament, and are keen to block their players from attending over a lack of measures in place to stop them catching coronavirus there.
The Toffees – who are part of the ECA – could be without Ivory Coast international midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Nigerian international attacker Alex Iwobi if the tournament goes ahead next month.
Advantage?
Everton have a thin squad right now and there are no guarantees that they would be able to make signings in January given their Financial Fair Play woes.
Rafa Benitez would not be keen to be without two of his players despite the fact that they have played reduced roles this season.
Gbamin has only seen 47 minutes of Premier League action in 2021-22, but Iwobi has managed to feature in 12 league games, scoring once and assisting another.
The Nigerian attacker is a key player for his country, with 48 caps to his name, and he will be expected to play a huge role for them at the AFCON.
However, it remains to be seen if the Toffees will allow him and Gbamin to leave for the tournament as ECA wants some demands met.
The body insists that players would only be released for the tournament in Cameroon if organisers up their safety measures so as to ensure players do not contract the virus, if players would not miss club matches upon their return as a result of quarantine rules and if they are allowed to play their clubs’ final matches before the tournament kick off.
FIFA mandate clubs to release their players on December 27 ahead of the competition which starts on January 9, and with Nigeria beginning action on January 11, that could see the Everton forward miss a couple of key games depending on how far they advance.
In other Everton news, the Toffees are plotting January loan-to-buy bid for centre-mid hailed by Jack Grealish last month.
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