Egypt coach Hector Cuper has named a provisional 27-man squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Argentine handed surprise call-ups to Zamalek’s Mohamed Ibrahim, Al Masry striker Ahmed Gomaa and Ismaily and former Egypt U20 goalkeeper Mohamed Awad.

Zamalek striker Bassem Morsy has been excluded from the select band of players after falling out with the coaching staff.

The Pharaohs squad includes 11 foreign based players led by AS Roma star Mohammed Salah and Arsenal kid Mohamed Elneny.

Only four players- Essam El-Hadary, Ahmed Elmohamady, Mohamed Abdel-Shafy & Ahmed Fathi- from the current squad have Nations Cup experience.

The Pharaohs will start preparations on 01 January and four players would be omitted to get the final 23-man squad.

Egypt provisional squad for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations:

Goalkeepers: Ahmed El-Shennawi (Zamalek), Essam El-Hadary (Wadi Degla), Hassan Awad (Ismaily) and Sherif Ekramy (Ahly).

Defenders: Ahmed Dwidar (Zamalek), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City, England), Ahmed Fathi (Ahly), Ahmed Hegazy (Ahly), Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Hamada Tolba (Masry), Karim Hafez (Nice, France), Mohamed Abdel-Shafi (Ahly Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Omar Gaber (FC Basel, Switzerland) and Saad Samir (Ahly).

Midfielders: Abdallah El-Said (Ahly), Ahmed Gomaa (Masry), Amr Warda (Panetolikos, Greece), Ibrahim Salah (Zamalek), Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan (Mouscron, Belgium), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England), Mohamed Ibrahim (Zamalek) and Tarek Hamed (Zamalek),

Forwards: Ahmed Hassan 'Kouka' (Braga, Portugal), Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim 'Kahraba' (Ahly Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), Marwan Mohsen (Ahly), Mohamed Salah (AS Roma, Italy) and Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City, England).