Ghana have decided to exclude Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey from their squad for the crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Angola and Niger.
Ghana excluded Thomas Partey from the squad days after the midfielder helped Arsenal secure a vital 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, November 10.
Interestingly, Partey will not be available for Ghana for their must-win 2025 AFCON qualification matches this month. The first of these pivotal matchdays is set to take place against Angola on Friday, November 15. The second will take place against Niger on Monday, November 18.
Ghana head coach, Otto Addo, who is currently facing criticism regarding the team’s performance, did not reveal the specific reasons behind Partey’s omission from the squad.
The 31-year-old midfielder, who boasts an impressive record of 13 goals in 49 appearances for the national team, has been a key player for the Black Stars and was expected to be a vital figure in the country’s qualification quest.
On why he decided to leave out Thomas Partey from the squad, coach Addo said, “My reasons are confidential. I hope he will rejoin us for the next international window in March, which will include World Cup qualifying matches.”
Meanwhile, Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew has been appointed as Ghana’s captain ahead of the qualifiers, stepping in for West Ham United midfielder Mohammed Kudus.
Kudus previously led the team during their double-header against Sudan, where Ghana’s performance left much to be desired; they only managed to secure one point from those encounters.
This disappointing result has placed the national team in a precarious position, raising concerns about their chances of missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time since 2004.
Note that they have garnered only two points from four matches in Group F, positioning them third in the group.
To maintain any hope of qualifying for the 2025 tournament in Morocco, Ghana must secure victories in their upcoming matches; they need to win away against the group leaders, Angola, on Friday, followed by a home win three days later against Niger.
