Everton are among the Premier League clubs given a boost after FIFA introduced a shock new date for players to be released for the Africa Cup of Nations
YAMOUSSOUKRO, IVORY COAST - JANUARY 23: Iliman cheikh baroy Ndiaye of Senegal embraces Idrissa gana Gueye of Senegal during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations group stage match between Guinea and Senegal at on January 23, 2024 in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
Iliman Ndiaye and his Everton team-mate Idrissa Gueye pictured celebrating for Senegal
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Everton have been handed a huge boost after FIFA confirmed that Premier League clubs have an extra week to keep their stars from heading to the Africa Cup of Nations. As a result of the move, the Blues will now retain the services of Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye for the Premier League clash against Chelsea.
The game will take place on Saturday, December 13, at Stamford Bridge, and it will be the first time Gueye will be available since his sending off against Manchester United. The Blues are one of a number of sides who will lose players to AFCON this month, with Sunderland set to be without seven members of their first-team squad once they jet off for the tournament in Morocco.
"As young boys, we always dreamed of playing for our country, representing or country at the AFCON and in the World Cup," Gueye said last month.
"To win the AFCON for the first time for Senegal was just unbelievable. Now I want Skiliman [Ndiaye] to live this with me again.
"Of course, we are going there to win the tournament. We are not hiding our goals in that respect, because everyone know with our team that we can do it.
"But, as we've seen in the past, it's not always the best team that wins tournaments, it's the best group. It will be difficult. It's up to us to listen to our manager and stay together. We will do everything we can, I know that.”
On missing games for Everton as a consequence of the tournament, he said: "Of course, it's a difficult thing. It's difficult for us as players to stop in the middle of the season for AFCON, switching from the Premier League to go straight into AFCON and then immediately back again, but this is the way it is.
"Our country is very important for us, the club is very important, too. Of course, we'd prefer to play it in the summer but this is the situation we are in and we will give our best for both."
Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye during an Everton training session at Finch Farm on November 5, 2025
Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye during an Everton training session at Finch Farm on November 5, 2025
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In the same interview with the club's offical matchday programme, Gueye also backed Everton and Senegal team-mate Ndiaye to become the next African Ballon d'Or winner. He said: "I challenge [Ndiaye] every game, every time we play.
"I'm always speaking to him. He's a good boy, he listens a lot and, yeah, I'm like his... grandbrother! I always knew he would be successful here at Everton and, honestly, I don't think he's shown his best yet.
"I train with him every day so I see his quality every day and I can see what he is capable of. He just needs to believe in himself, keep working hard and have high expectations of himself.
"I told him when he first arrived here that he can be the next African Balon d'Or winner, because he has the quality, he has the technique, he has the skills and everything.
"He has a combination I've never seen it before. He's a humble guy. A very, very good guy. He's not shy – he likes to play and joke with everyone. Nobody ever has a problem with him because he is humble and always keeps working hard.
"You see in those videos even from when he was very young how hard he works and it's because he always wants to be better."