Arsenal are currently set to have zero players involved at AFCON 2025, following Ghana’s failure to qualify for the tournament.
When Ghana drew away to Angola on Friday, their chances of qualifying for AFCON 2025 came to an end. With just one game remaining in their qualification group, they sit four points behind Sudan in second place, and an embarrassing 10 points behind leaders Angola.
Ghana had represented the final opportunity for a member of Mikel Arteta’s current squad to be involved at the tournament, following Mohamed Elneny’s departure over the summer.
Egypt have qualified, but if Elneny is involved at the tournament, it will be as an Al Jazira player.
The only African player remaining in Arsenal’s first-team squad is Thomas Partey, and even he is out of contract at the end of the season. But regardless of whether the midfielder extends his Gunners deal, Ghana aren’t going to AFCON 2025 anyway.
Even looking at Arsenal’s current batch of u21s, there are no players currently representing an African country at u21 level or above. A few are eligible to make the switch, but the chances of that happening in time for them to be involved in AFCON 2025 are relatively low.
Perhaps the only potential candidates are Cam’ron Ismail and Ismail Oulad M’Hand, who have been called up by the Egypt and Morocco u20s in the past. But they’re a way off the senior sides.
The tournament begins just over a year from now, with the first game kicking off on December 21st, 2025.
Arsenal could sign a player before the tournament begins, but as it stands, the Gunners aren’t set to have anyone involved in the event.
