Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong has been called up to Gabon's African Cup of Nations squad.
The Sunderland Echo says the Black Cats had hoped Ndong would be dropped by his national side after being sent home in disgrace for missing a pre-arranged training session in November.
But the Gabonese Football Federation have called up the £13.6million man, who could miss a month of action.
The tournament starts on January 14, with Gabon's preparations beginning a week earlier. It means Ndong might miss Sunderland's home FA Cup third-round tie against Burnley on January 7 and the Premier League matches against Stoke, West Brom, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.