By Mark Gleeson BBC Sport

Mali are confident that Spurs' Frederic Kanoute will play for them at the Nations Cup

Mali coach Henri Stambouli says Tottenham Hotspur striker Frederic Kanoute is 95 percent certain of committing himself to play for the Eagles at the Nations Cup finals.

Stambouli was speaking to Malian reporters on the eve of an international friendly against Benin in Bamako tonight, part of the team's preparations for next month's tournament in Tunisia.

"It is 95 percent certain that Kanoute will play at the Nations Cup finals.

"There are just a few things left to sort out. I am positive he will make a massive impact on our team," the French-born Stambouli said.

The 26 year-old Kanoute was born in France and is a former French youth international.

However it is still not yet clear whether is he is allowed now to play for Mali under new FIFA regulations, which allow players to change national allegiances but with certain restrictions on age, dual nationality and the level of past international appearances.

Stambouli also admitted that there was no hope of getting midfielder Alou Diarra to also join the side.

Diarra, formerly of Bayern Munich and now with Bastia, is a member of the French under-21 side and played for them as recently as November making him ineligible to play for Mali.

Stambouli said three players have been recalled to the squad after they were suspended for indiscipline, on the eve of a 2006 Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier against Guinea Bissau in November.

Bassala Toure, Boubacar Diarra and Sammy Traore are all in the preliminary list of players which Mali have announced for January's Nations Cup.

"I've talked to all three of them and they understand the lesson and the importance of the task ahead," Stambouli added.