Kwadwo Asamoah out of Ghana friendly against Mauritania

Ghana will be without Inter Milan utility man Kwadwo Asamoah for Tuesday's international friendly against Mauritania in Accra.

The 30-year-old was a conspicuous absentee from Sunday's recovery training session following a 1-0 home win over Kenya on the final matchday of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Saturday.

Latest reports say the Accra-born has flown out to Spain for a routine medical check on his problematic knee, which kept him out of action for a couple of years, and out of the Black Stars from 2014 to 2018.

He ended his self-imposed sabbatical from the national team last September after a run of games for new club Inter, having put his injury woes behind him in a peripheral role with Juventus in the 2017-18 season.

Asamoah's latest withdrawal has raised another round of questions about his commitment to the national course following his controversial pull-out from November's encounter with Ethiopia in the Afcon qualifying.

While he withdrew due to injury, reports on Inter's online media outlets showed the player fully involved in training activities with the club during the international break, prompting backlash back home in Ghana.

On Saturday, questions were again raised when the 30-year-old, arguably the biggest player in the current squad, was left on the bench for the entire duration of the clash with Kenya.

He is, nonetheless, expected to play a major role as Ghana seek to end a 37-year Africa Cup of Nations trophy drought in Egypt in June/July.

Tuesday's friendly will mark the commencement of preparations for the continental showpiece.