Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, the all-time top African goal scorer in the Premier League, headlines Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations squad named on Wednesday.
Although the official date for the release of players to join their national teams was December 27, tournament organisers pushed back the deadline until January 3, which allows Salah to feature in Liverpool’s crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea this Sunday.
However, midfielder Mohamed Magdy, recent winner of the African Super Cup with Cairo club Al Ahly, and winger Mostafa Fathi of Egyptian rivals Zamalek, were both overlooked by coach Carlos Queiroz for the tournament in Cameroon which runs from January 9 to February 6.
Both had featured in the Arab Cup in Qatar earlier this month.
Seven-time tournament winners Egypt, who last lifted the trophy in 2010, are among the favourites and open with a Group D clash against Nigeria on January 11 before playing Guinea Bissau and Sudan.
