Ruben Amorim says work is being done to try and keep Manchester United’s prospective Africa Cup of Nations representatives at the club for as long as possible before the tournament starts.
Those squads are still to be announced but Amorim expects any players that are selected will be unavailable for United two weeks in advance of the first game.
“We have the rules, when we have to release the players, so we will see,”
the boss told journalists in the first part of Friday’s pre-match press conference, ahead of our return to Premier League action against Everton on Monday.
“We are doing our job to try and maintain the players a little bit longer, but it is not just in our hands. We need to respect that, but we will try to do everything to protect the club, protect the players and protect the national team.
“I think it is two weeks before the start,” he added when asked specifically when those called up are set to join up with their national teams.
“So, we will try to arrange something with the federations, but we need to respect their rules in this case.”
If Amad, Mazraoui and Mbeumo are picked, the suggested timeframe would point to them being available for United’s next three games – against Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham – but not available for the trip to Wolves on 8 December, the first of eight top-flight fixtures between then and the final on 18 January.
Their absences would obviously be a blow for the Reds, hence why work is being done to keep them in Manchester for as long as possible. Ruben says he is hoping to have striker Benjamin Sesko back from the injury that is currently sidelining him, to help fill the void.
“I think it is more or less going to be at the same time [as when the players would go to AFCON],”
Ruben responded to a question about when we can expect to see Sesko back from the problem he picked up in the closing stages of our last outing, away to Spurs before the international break.
“I don't want to say for sure, [but] when they are going to AFCON, I expect to have Ben back.”
The boss also says there will be opportunities for other first-team and Academy players to make their mark.
“It is a circumstance that we already knew, but it is an opportunity for other players. We also have the Under-21s and we need to also send a message in that time, so we will see. But of course, it is not ideal because they [Amad, Mazraoui and Mbeumo] are so important in our team and we don't have a long squad.
“But our Academy is for this moment, and we will be ready.”
Asked if Luke Shaw is a player that could play at wing-back in the potential absence of Amad and Mazraoui, our head coach added: “Yes, he can play there. It is the load that the player does in that position, [it] is a little bit different.
“If you are doing that on a daily basis, he will be more prepared to play in that position. Of course, he can play there, he is a smart player, and he is fit at the moment, so it is an option.”