The Ivory Coast national team coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, announced a provisional 27-man squad on Thursday evening ahead of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, which his side will host starting on January 13.

The roster includes three goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders and 10 attackers, who will battle to represent the hosts during the tournament held across five Ivorian cities. Key English-based players cutting include Nottingham Forest trio Willy Boly, Ibrahim Sangare and Serge Aurier.

Alongside them, Brighton and Hove Albion striker Simon Adingra and Hull City’s Jean Michael Seri also cut. NNoticeably omitted from the Elephants’ squad is former Manchester United and Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, having featured only twice for his nation since the turn of the year.

The Ivory Coast kick-off their campaign against Guinea-Bissau on January 13, before facing rivals Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in Group A. As part of preparations, manager Gasset will lead his side in a friendly against Sierra Leone on January 6 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro.

With an array of talent to select from, the Frenchman will be hoping his Elephants can produce some dazzling performances on home soil next month that will lead to contending for the trophy.

The full squad includes:

GOALKEEPERS:

Yahia Fofana (SCO Angers)

Badra Ali (Sekhukhune Utd)

Ayayi Folly (ASEC Mimos)

DEFENDERS:

Willy Boly (Nottingham)

Chester Diallo (Hadjuk)

Ousmande Diomande (Sporting)

Odilon Kossounou (Leverkusen)

Evan Ndicka (Roma)

Ghislain Konan (Al-Fayha)

Serge Aurier (Nottingham)

Wilfried Singo (Monaco)

MIDFIELDERS:

Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham)

Doumbia Idrissa (Ah Ahli)

Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli)

Jean Michael Seri (Hull)

Seko Fofana (Al Nassr)

Lazare Amani (Union SG)

FORWARDS:

Sebastien Haller (Dortmund)

Karim Konate (Salzburg)

Jean-Philippe Krasso (Etoile Rouge)

Max-Alain Gradel (Gaziantep)

Christian Kouame (Fiorentina)

Jonathan Bamba (Celta Vigo)

Oumar Diakite (Reims)

Jeremie Boga (OGC Nice)

Nicolas Pepe (Trabzonspor)

Simon Adingra (Brighton).

https://thewillnews.com/ivory-coast-names-27-man-squad-2024-afcon/