Trouble for Wrexham? Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney could lose key man Jacob Mendy to 2023 AFCON after defender called up to The Gambia's pre-tournament training camp

Gambia national team boss Thomas Saintfiet has called up Wrexham's Mendy to a pre-tournament training camp in Saudi Arabia. The decision means that Mendy will miss Wrexham's FA Cup third round clash with Shrewsbury Town on 7 January and could be forced out of more games if he is named in the final squad for the tournament. Mendy has emerged as a key player for Wrexham and has made 23 appearances in all competitions so far for Phil Parkinson's men.

The training camp is designed to prepare the team for the tournament where they will face Senegal, Guinea and Cameroon in the group stages. The squad will stay in the city of Al-Ahsa until January 8 and will then return to the Gambia. Saintfiet is due to announce his final squad a day later which is when Wrexham will discover whether they will have Mendy available once again or if they have to cope without him for longer.

Mendy won his first international cap in December when he featured in a 2-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in World Cup qualifying. Wrexham recognised his achievement by putting his name on the club's international honours board.

Wrexham will have to cope without Mendy when they take on Shrewsbury next and will be aiming to book a spot in the fourth round of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Gambia's first game at the Africa Cup of Nations is against holders Senegal on Monday, January 15.