The Ghana Football Association, on Monday, October 7, 2024, issued an update on the players invited for the Black Stars games against Sudan. The biggest news was the absence of Thomas Partey from the matches.

The GFA, in its statement, mentioned medical reasons as the basis for the Arsenal midfielder's inability to honor Ghana’s matches during the October international break.

The Ghana Football Association said, “Thomas is unable to join the Black Stars due to medical issues he is currently experiencing, and his club has scheduled him for further tests in the coming days.”

Charles Watts, a UK-based journalist who covers Arsenal extensively, has disclosed exactly what is wrong with the Ghanaian midfielder.

Charles Watts revealed that Thomas Partey is not injured but rather suffering from some sickness.

He said that while the sickness is not serious, Arsenal and the GFA agreed that Partey should be rested as he has been involved in a number of games for Arsenal this season.

“Thomas Partey is staying with Arsenal during the international break. Understand he has been suffering a bit of illness (not an injury) and so it has been agreed he should rest up for a bit after playing so many minutes this season. Purely precaution,” he said.

Partey is one of four players who have pulled out of the squad for the games against Sudan on October 10 and 14.

Joseph Paintsil, Kingsley Schindler, and Ibrahim Osman are the other three players who have withdrawn from the 25-man squad.

In their absence, Otto Addo has extended invitations to Cercle Brugge’s Francis Abu, AZ Alkmaar winger Ibrahim Sadiq, and Jonas Adjetey Adjei to fill the void.

The first leg of the tie will be played at the Accra Sports Stadium on October 10, 2024.

EK