The African Cup of Nations, or AFCON, is a time no manager wants to come around due to players leaving mid-season, and this year Vitor Pereira will have quite a few leaving England.
The Old Gold have had their fair share of AFCON winners, and those who get called up will want to join the list.
Over the summer, the Wanderers purchased a few African stars, and that could come back to haunt them this winter.
Here are the players Vitor Pereira could be without during December and January.
Wolves could have five players away for AFCON
The African Cup of Nations takes place from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, and if a nation makes the final, Wolves could be without that player for a full month during one of the busiest football periods.
While the AFCON squads have not been decided yet, based on previous squad selection, there are five players who could be at the tournament.
- Emmanuel Agbadou – Ivory Coast
- Jackson Tchatchoua – Cameroon
- Marshall Munetsi – Zimbabwe
- Tawanda Chirewa – Zimbabwe
- Tolu Arokodare – Nigeria
These players have all been regular call-ups for their nations over the last year.
With Pereira missing five players from his squad, he may have to already come up with solutions to replace them, and he has some good options at his disposal.
While some players are away, it could open the door for fringe members of the team to reignite their Molineux careers.
How Wolves can cope without their African stars
Losing players from your squad is a situation no manager wants, and there are a couple of players who are key for Vitor Pereira.
Marshall Munetsi and Jackson Tchatchoua are the two most recent players who have been important for the head coach.
With Munetsi away, we could see Fer Lopez or Jean-Ricner Bellegarde be given a chance in that role that connects midfield and attack.
However, with Pereira preferring a more physical presence, Bellegarde seems to be more likely.
Tchatchoua has forced his way into the starting XI over the past weeks due to some good form and Matt Doherty’s wrist surgery.
With him also likely being away, it could open the door for Ki-Jana Hoever to be given another chance with Doherty another choice at right-back.
Of course, Rodrigo Gomes could also be used there, given he has played a wing-back in the past.
Tawanda Chirewa would not be a big loss, seeing as he has yet to feature for the first team this season.
With Emmanuel Agbadou away, Yerson Mosquera could see an increase in minutes. In recent weeks Agbadou has been dropped to the bench but is the first defensive option to be subbed on.
Tolu Arokodare is currently just a backup for Jorgen Strand Larsen, but with him being away, Mateus Mane could be an interesting attacker to bring into the fold, with Hwang Hee-chan also capable of leading the line.
Mane has given a direct message to Vitor Pereira after impressing for the academy in recent weeks.
The Old Gold are certainly not short of options.