Ghana Football Association spokesman Henry Asante Twum has shed light on the unexpected withdrawal of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Abdul Mumin from the squad gearing up for the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Madagascar and Comoros.

Head coach Chris Hughton, who initially included the duo in his 25-man squad last Thursday, has replaced Kamaldeen Sulemana and Abdul Mumin with Medeama’s Nurudeen Abdulai and Leicester’s Abdul Fatawu Issahaku.

"At any point when you make a call up you need to speak to the player you need to speak to their clubs when the player gives you a green light the club doesn't have the power to stop you unless in an extreme circumstance that the player is injured," he told Peace FM as monitored by Footballghana.com

"Kamaldeen after the World Cup he has played only two games for us and he had a long injury layoff he is now back and picking up after talking to the technical the player feels he will need some time to pick his form then he can avail himself for national duties.

"With Mumin since he we exited the 2021 Afcon group stage he hasn't gotten closer to the team he has recently signed for Rayo Vallecano and now getting game time so he also says he will need some time to put himself together,"

Ghana is scheduled to take on Madagascar in Kumasi on Friday, November 17, followed by a match against Comoros in Moroni four days later.

Winger Sulemana, recently played 66 minutes in Southampton’s 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough in the English Championship, and in-form center-back Mumin, playing the full match for Rayo Vallecano in their Spanish LaLiga defeat to Girona, have both cited unavailability due to fitness concerns stemming from their club commitments over the weekend.

The Ghana Football Association announced these changes early on Tuesday morning ahead of their first training session in Accra today before leaving for Kumasi on Wednesday.