Gabon’s international Bonaventure Sokambi has been called-up to the Panthers to replace Mario Lemina after the Olympique Marseille’s midfielder failed to honour his call for national duty ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
“I am not going to the AFCON,” the 21-year old French-Gabonese Lemina had tweeted in December.
“Everything that`s being said at the moment is only rumours, I`m sorry but there`s been no agreement between Gabon and me.”
Sokambi, who just signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Algerian club ASO Chlef from local outfit CF Mounana, should give national coach Jorge Costa more attacking options.
The 23-year old forward was part of a 4-player back-up list alongside Romuald Ntsitsigui (AS Mangasport), Gilles Mbang Ondo (RAS Al Khaimah) and Franck Engongah (OC khouribga).
Gabon will kick off their continental campaign against Burkina Faso in Bata on January 17, before facing Congo and host country Equatorial Guinea in their Group A.