Dutch Eredivisie club, Ajax Amsterdam, say it stopped four of their African internationals from travelling to join up with their national teams this week.
The club confirmed the decision on Wednesday. They said the decision was taken because the players would have to quarantine on their return to the Netherlands.
Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus, Moroccan pair Zakaria Labyad and Noussair Mazraoui, and Lassina Traore from Burkina Faso have not been released.
Ajax have made use of a FIFA ruling that allows clubs to refuse to release their players this month if they face a period of quarantine or self-isolation on their return.
Usually, players must be released if called up for international duty during the FIFA window.
But world football’s governing body FIFA announced a relaxation last week amid a spike in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
Ajax confirmed the players would remain in Amsterdam.
Morocco and Ghana’s football associations also confirmed the absences.
Kudus, who Ajax recently signed from Nordsjaelland in Denmark, was to join up with Ghana for two internationals against Mali and Iran, to be played in Turkey.
Morocco have home friendlies against Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Burkina Faso play the Congolese on Friday and Madagascar next week, also in Morocco.
Ajax’s Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana has joined up with his national side, as they are playing against Japan in Utrecht on Friday.
