According to the source, the Premier League is well represented across African national teams at the World Cup, with nine of the competition’s 10 African contenders featuring at least one player from the division. The following is a team-by-team guide to the Premier League players set to represent African sides in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Algeria will be represented by Rayan Ait-Nouri, listed with Manchester City. The left back endured a testing maiden season at City after signing from Wolves, suffering an early ankle injury and finishing the campaign with 17 league appearances as Nico O’Reilly claimed the left-back berth.
Cape Verde have no Premier League players in their squad, although the source notes that Nuno da Costa and Ryan Mendes previously played for Nottingham Forest in the Championship.
DR Congo’s squad contains several Premier League names. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is registered with West Ham United after a difficult Premier League season that saw the club relegated; the source reports his future remains uncertain with Everton among teams monitoring him. Axel Tuanzebe, with Burnley and also relegated, brings experience and versatility and scored the March playoff winner against Jamaica to send the Leopards to their first World Cup in 52 years.
Also named for DR Congo are Sunderland pair Arthur Masuaku and Noah Sadiki and Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa. Masuaku is described as an experienced left-sided option with set-piece quality. Sadiki was one of the season’s revelations, influential as Sunderland finished seventh and noted for energetic, bold midfield play; the source adds he has attracted rumoured transfer interest from Manchester United. Wissa joined Newcastle for a reported £50 million on deadline day but had an injury-hit season and scored once in the league; his direct running, pressing and finishing are noted as potential assets.
Ivory Coast’s Premier League contingent includes Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangare, Sunderland’s Simon Adingra, Manchester United’s Amad Diallo and Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand. Sangare is cast as an underrated midfielder who can provide midfield ballast, with a direct hand in three goals against Tottenham in December. Adingra arrived at Sunderland last summer but struggled, recording one goal and no assists before a loan to AS Monaco. Amad has had varying fortunes at Manchester United but has scored for the national team at the Africa Cup of Nations and in a friendly versus France. The source says Guessand has moved between Premier League clubs seeking a spark but that “things just haven’t happened.”
