Côte d’Ivoire include Wilfried Zaha in AFCON squad

Zaha, who was born in Abidjan, had announced his intention to switch his allegiance to the Ivory Coast after meeting with coach Michel Dussuyer last month.

WILFRIED Zaha was named on Wednesday by the Ivory Coast in a 24-man preliminary squad for the African Nations Cup finals, just days after meeting England manager Gareth Southgate about his international future.

Zaha, who has previously won two caps for England, features on a list of players to travel to Abu Dhabi next week to begin preparations for the tournament in Gabon, where the Ivorians are defending their African title.

The squad also includes Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, recently recovered from injury, and Stoke City striker Wilfried Bony.

The 24-year-old Zaha, who was born in Abidjan, had announced his intention to switch his allegiance to the Ivory Coast after meeting with coach Michel Dussuyer last month.

The Ivorian Football Federation published a picture of the player meeting with the coach and the federation president and posing with an Ivorian shirt.

The Crystal Palace winger played for England in two friendlies against Sweden and Scotland in November 2012 and August 2013 but remains eligible for the Ivory Coast because he has  represented England in a competitive fixture.

But the British media reported two days ago that Southgate had met Zaha to try and talk him into a U-turn, suggesting he was close to selection for England again.

The Ivorians host a 10-day camp in Abu Dhabi after which they head to Oyem in Gabon where they are competing in group C against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco ands Togo, starting on January 16