Mohammed Kudus
West Ham United manager, David Moyes, has expressed his concern about losing some of his key players to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which is scheduled to take place next month in Ivory Coast.
The Hammers could potentially be without Mohammed Kudus, Said Benrahma, and Nayef Aguerd, who have all been important contributors to the team’s success this season.
Ghana, Algeria, and Morocco have all qualified for the continental tournament, which means that Kudus, Benrahma, and Aguerd will likely be called up to represent their respective countries. The tournament will start on January 13 and end on February 11.
While Moyes understands the importance of international football, he admits that losing these players for a month will be a significant blow to his team.
“We’ve got Mo Kudus, and we’ve also got Saïd Benrahma from Algeria and Nayef Aguerd from Morocco,” Moyes said in a press conference.
“The disappointing bit, and the thing we’ll need to manage, is losing those players for a month during the African Cup of Nations. But that’s part of it.”
Kudus has been particularly impressive for West Ham this season, having been involved in seven goals in 17 games. His absence, along with that of Benrahma and Aguerd, will undoubtedly be felt by the team.
However, Moyes remains confident that his team can still perform well despite the loss of these key players.