By Phil Minshull BBC Sport, Marbella

Lauren is welcome to return to Cameroon's national squad

Cameroon's German coach Winfried Schaefer has that Lauren Etame Mayer is welcome to return to national team.

"Lauren will be back, I spoke to him a few days ago and he told me that he will be available again after the Nations Cup," said Schaefer in the Spanish town of Marbella, where Cameroon are preparing to defend their Cup of Nations title.

"He will be welcome back, Cameroon needs a player of his talent."

The Arsenal star retired from international football in the wake of Cameroon's poor World Cup campaign two years ago but recently said to BBC Sport that he would happily accept a recall.

Schafer said he had not considered bringing Lauren back for the Cup of Nations finals because the player had not fully committed to coming back during the early stages of the teams' preparations.

"But I think he wants to come back and fill the gap left by the death of Marc-Vivian Foe.

"Lauren felt that loss very deeply and he was a close friend of Marc-Vivien," commented Schaefer.

Foe collapsed and died during Cameroon's semi-final game at the Confederations Cup last June.

One Cameroon player who is less certain of his international future is Middlesbrough's Joseph-Desire Job.

"I spoke to him about the Nations Cup and he told me that he had just returned to playing for his club after his recent injuries, but was not quite ready for international football just yet," Schaefer told BBC Sport .