The Frenchman agreed a return after the departure of the oil-rich nation’s sports minister, the BBC and French sports paper L’Equipe reported on Friday.

Michel gave up the job last week after a tussle over team selection and in frustration with conditions in the former Spanish colony, ranked 155th in the world.

Michel will be in the capital Malabo to attend Saturday’s draw for the finals.

The country’s official government website www.guineaecuatorialpress.com confirmed the appointment of a new sports minister to replace Rustan Obiang, son of the president, who had been at loggerheads with Michel.

Michel was hired last December on a 13-month contract to build a team to compete at the Nations Cup, which Equatorial Guinea will co-host with Gabon from Jan. 21 to Feb. 12.