Shock AFCON Squad Shake-Up: Mbeumo Secures Spot While Onana Faces Stunning Exclusion from Cameroon Team

It’s a bitter pill for Manchester United fans to swallow—Bryan Mbeumo, the club’s shining star since his summer switch from Brentford, is headed off to represent Cameroon at AFCON 2025, sidelining him for weeks just when the Red Devils are eyeing a climb from seventh place in the Premier League. At 26, Mbeumo isn’t just padding the stats; he’s top scorer with six goals in fourteen games and a beacon of hope for Cameroon’s quest to reclaim the AFCON crown that’s eluded them since 2017. Meanwhile, the gloves have been dropped on Andre Onana’s hopes of featuring in the tournament—despite being a Manchester United loanee and recent number one at Trabzonspor, he’s been left off Cameroon’s squad in a twist that has tongues wagging. As the football world braces for a knockout blow to several Premier League sides missing key AFCON-bound players, the ripple effects are set to be felt far and wide. Buckle up—it’s shaping up to be a fascinating few weeks on and off the pitch. LEARN MORE

Manchester United will be without Bryan Mbeumo for several weeks after he was included in Cameroon’s AFCON 2025 squad, but loanee goalkeeper Andre Onana has been left out.

Mbeumo has been one of United’s star players since his move from Brentford in the summer and will be a big miss to the Red Devils, who are currently seventh in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old is United’s top scorer with six goals in 14 appearances so far and will be similarly crucial to Cameroon’s hopes of AFCON glory for the fifth time and first since 2017.

AFCON 2025: Onana snubbed by Cameroon

The same cannot be said for another of United’s players, with goalkeeper Onana not included in Marc Brys’s squad.

Onana is currently on loan at Trabzonspor after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim, with summer signing Senne Lemmens currently shining as United’s new No1.

And despite Brys naming four goalkeepers in his squad for the tournament, which starts on December 21, there is no place for the 29-year-old.

Onana played in the Atlas Lions’ most recent World Cup qualifier, letting in a late Chancel Mbemba goal as DR Congo ended their opponents’ World Cup 2026 qualification hopes.

Premier League’s missing AFCON players

As well as Mbeumo, United are also expected to be without Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui, who are expected to be picked for Ivory Coast and Morocco respectively.

Sunderland are set to be the team most affected by absentees, with as many as seven players set to be called up.

Those players are Chemsdine Talbi, Habib Diarra, Reinildo, Simon Adingra, Bertrand Traore, Arthur Masuaku and Noah Sadiki.

Crystal Palace, West Ham and Nottingham Forest could be without four players each, while bottom-club Wolves could lose as many as five.

Sky Sports reports that Yoane Wissa has not been called up by DR Congo as the summer signing continues his recovery from injury.