GFA official delivers Mali and Qatar friendly injury updates

The communications director reacts to reports of the two players and debutant Alexander Djiku excusing themselves from the October matches.

Ghana Football Association (GFA) communications director Henry Asante Twum has revealed the outfit has not received a withdrawal request from any of the players called up for the Black Stars' October friendlies against Mali and Qatar.

CK Akonnor's side is set to take on their African counterparts on October 9, three days before facing 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar in a second friendly in the Turkish city of Antalya.

The Black Stars boss has invited 23 players for the double-header but there have been reports Ajax Amsterdam midfielder Mohammed Kudus, Crystal Palace ace Jeffrey Schlupp and France-born Strasbourg defender Alexander Djiku will not be able to answer the call due to injury setbacks.

“When a player gets injured, it is for the doctors to confirm. We have a very experienced doctor who is in charge of the Black Stars. So from last week when the list was made known to the public, he has gotten in touch with the clubs,” Asante Twum told Silver FM.

“What I know is that when any of these players are not in a position to play, the clubs will officially communicate that to the FA.

“As it stands, I am only hearing it on the radio, I may have read some in the newspapers and online, but at the end of the day we can only speak to facts.

“So if the clubs write to the GFA that any player is injured and is ruled out for one month or two months, then we can dwell on that to take a decision. So let us wait for just a few days. We have one more week to the game. If we get any official information from the clubs, we will make it public."

Schlupp, who has been recalled to the Black Stars for the first time since March 2019, has missed his club's last two games, including Saturday's league defeat to Chelsea, owing to injury situations.

Kudus has been confirmed out of Ajax's Eredivisie clash with Groningen, having picked up an injury in training during the week while there have been reports Djiku picked up an injury during his club's last league game against AS Monaco, casting doubts over his availability.