Midfielder Edo Kayembe seems set to be on his way back to England with an injury that ended his participation in the African Cup of Nations before the tournament even started.

The 25-year-old headed off to meet up with his DR Congo teammates after Watford's game on New Year's Day, ahead of the competition in the Ivory Coast which starts on Saturday (January 13).

DR Congo play their first match in Group F against Zambia on January 17, with games against Morocco (January 21) and Tanzania (January 24) to follow.

However, it’s understood that Kayembe was assessed by the national team’s medical department, and an injury was detected that they deemed severe enough to remove him from the squad.

As recently as yesterday a video and team photograph appeared on social media of the DR Congo squad in their club kits, which included Kayembe in a Watford shirt.

 

Then last night it was announced that DR Congo head coach Sebastien Desabre had added Las Palmas midfielder Omenuke Mfulu to his squad, after which stories in Africa started to appear that Kayembe would be leaving the camp.

He played the first 45 minutes of the 3-3 draw with Plymouth on New Year’s Day, and was replaced at half-time by Yaser Asprilla.

Kayembe has made 21 appearances in the Championship this season, 15 of them as a starter.

He started 13 of the 14 games up to and including Plymouth, and played the full 90 minutes in 10 of those games.

Had the midfielder played at AFCON, the earliest he could have returned would have been after the DR Congo’s final group game which is on January 24.

However, with as many as three teams from each group qualifying for the next stage it’s likely he would have been at the tournament until the end of this month, and possibly into February had DR Congo progressed.