Egypt awaits the Premier League's decision regarding Salah and Marmoush's participation against Nigeria! | OneFootball

The Egyptian national team needs its two stars in this important match.

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A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the upcoming international friendly between Egypt and Nigeria, scheduled for December 14th in Cairo, as the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) finds itself in a waiting game with two Premier League giants.

At the heart of the matter is the potential unavailability of key attackers Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and Omar Marmoush of Manchester City. EFA President Hani Abu Rida has taken personal charge of the situation, having reached out to both clubs. However, as a source familiar with the communications indicated, "...we are still waiting..." for an official response from either team. The EFA is keen to secure its star players as part of its final preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The clubs' hesitation is understandable given a congested fixture list. Liverpool are set to face Brighton on December 13th, while Manchester City have a match against Crystal Palace on December 14th—the very day of the international friendly, making the logistics of player release exceptionally challenging.

This selection headache is not unique to Egypt. Their opponents, Nigeria, also face the prospect of fielding a depleted squad. Several of their Premier League-based stars, including Fulham's Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, and Calvin Bassey, along with Wolverhampton's Tolu Arokodare, have league commitments on December 13th. Furthermore, Brentford's Frank Onyeka is also a major doubt, with his club scheduled to play against Leeds United on the day of the friendly.