Ruben Amorim admitted he is still uncertain about the fate of three Manchester United players who must travel to represent their countries in the AFCON tournament, causing him to prepare various tactical plans ahead of their clash with Bournemouth.
On 13 December 2025, Ruben Amorim, manager of Manchester United, openly stated that he still does not know for sure whether three key players—Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo—will be able to play in the Premier League match against Bournemouth on Monday night, as they are on national duty for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Although FIFA has set the player release date for the AFCON tournament as 15 December, this schedule clashes directly with Manchester United's league fixtures, causing confusion and uncertainty about when the three players will join their national teams.
Amorim revealed that he cannot finalize the team lineup clearly yet and must prepare multiple tactical options in case the three players are either available or unavailable for the match.
“We are still in discussions with the national teams. The game is on Monday, the players are still training with us, and we have to prepare for every scenario,” Amorim said.
“It’s frustrating, but on the other hand, it’s good because no one knows who will play. We have enough players to handle everything, and with a full week, we can work and prepare several plans.”
The Portuguese coach also acknowledged that each national team has its own approach regarding when they want their players, complicating the situation further, and he hopes to have a clear answer by Saturday at the latest.
“I don’t know if it will be the same for everyone; each national team has its own view. I hope to have a conclusion today or tomorrow, but we will wait until the last second to choose the best team.”
This uncertainty may not only affect Manchester United, as Amorim believes Bournemouth will also struggle to prepare because they do not know what version of the “Red Devils” they will face.