AFCON 2027Q: Man United's Leny Yoro Makes Ivory Coast's 29-Man Squad to Face Ghana, Somalia

• Ivory Coast head coach Hervé Renard named Manchester United defender Leny Yoro in a 29-man squad for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers
• Yoro, who has represented France at youth level up to the U21s, opted to switch his international allegiance to Ivory Coast
• The Elephants face Ghana and Somalia in the upcoming qualifying fixtures, with several Europe-based stars also included in the squad

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Hervé Renard has reportedly named a 29-man squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Ghana and Somalia, with Manchester United central defender Leny Yoro among those selected.

Yoro's inclusion is the standout storyline from the announcement, with the young Frenchman reportedly having made the decision to represent Ivory Coast at senior international level rather than France, according to Kick Off.

Although Yoro has featured for several French youth sides, including the Under-21s, he has not made a competitive appearance for the senior French national team.

Born to an Ivorian father, Yoro joins a tradition of players who represented France in their formative years before committing to the Elephants on the senior stage.

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According to Bolavip, Seko Fofana, Jérémie Boga and Maxwel Cornet all took a similar path before going on to feature prominently for Ivory Coast.

Meanwhile, the attacking options available to Renard carry considerable depth, with Yan Diomandé of Real Madrid and Newcastle United's Bazoumana Touré among the most high-profile names in the forward line.

Nicolas Pepe, a former Arsenal winger now with Villarreal, also retains his place in the setup.

Full squad breakdown

The squad draws heavily from European club football, with players representing clubs across the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi SC), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Clement Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Christ Tape (Toulouse), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Christopher Operi (Istanbul Basaksehir), Guela Doue (Bayer Leverkusen), Ousmane Diomande (Nottingham Forest), Ismael Doukoure (RC Strasbourg), Abdoul Ouattara (Ipswich Town), Oumar Solet (Udinese), Leny Yoro (Manchester United).

Midfielders: Franck Kessie (Atalanta), Malick Yalcouyé (Brighton), Yann Gboho (Coventry City), Amadou Kone (Neom SC), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Christ Inao (Fiorentina), Michel Adopo (Cagliari), Parfait Guiagon (Al-Taawoun).

Forwards: Yan Diomandé (Real Madrid), Bazoumana Touré (Newcastle United), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), Elye Wahi (OGC Nice), Karim Konate (RB Leipzig), Oumar Diakite (Sturm Graz), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Evan Guessand (Crystal Palace).

Ivory Coast's qualifiers against Ghana and Somalia will be among the most closely watched ties in the group, with the Black Stars representing a particularly competitive test for the Elephants.

Seko Fofana retires from international football

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Seko Fofana had announced his retirement from international football as Côte d’Ivoire prepares for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

The FC Porto midfielder made 34 appearances and scored seven goals for the Elephants during his nine-year international career.

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Source: YEN.com.gh