Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah has dealt a deadly blow to the plans of Black Stars coach Avram Grant by requesting to be left out of the Ghana squad for the 2017 Afcon in Gabon.
Stars coach Grant had plans of including the Juventus star in his 23-man squad, but media reports indicate that the former Udinese player sought permission to be left out as he concentrates on his recovery to full fitness.
Asamoah has recently been plagued by injuries barring him from performing at his optimum best.
Ghana are considered one of the favourites to win the 2017 Afcon after losing out on penalties to Ivory Coast in the last tournament.
Asamoah’s absence could adversely affect the chances of the team as he is considered one of the talismans in the team.
Ghana have in recent times been ranking some bad results, with fans calling for the dismissal of coach Avram Grant.
Others have also called for the inclusion of experienced players such as KP Boateng and Sulley Muntari to augment the squad.
The Black Stars are drawn in Group D with Egypt, Uganda and Mali been the other group opponents.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.