Swansea City unlikely to release Andre Ayew for AFCON doubleheader - Steve Cooper hintss

Swansea City boss Steve Cooper has disclosed that his team is yet to receive an invite from the Ghana Football Association for Andre Dede Ayew ahead of the international break next week.

The Black Stars captain is likely to be called up for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe on March 25 and 28, respectively.

However, it’s unlikely if Swansea City will be ready to release their star man for the AFCON qualifiers as the game will be played in South Africa which is among the countries blacklisted by the UK as part of coronavirus restrictions.

The 31-year-old will have to be quarantined on his return from national duty, a measure that could see him miss up to four club games as they push for promotion to the English Premier League.

According to Cooper, the team is yet to receive an invite for their talisman and they are yet to decide on whether to release Ayew.

“We haven’t even had a call-up for Andre yet to say that he’s going. I imagine we would with him being the captain of Ghana."

“But what the stance is going to be on that throughout football, I’m not too sure. But I know there are some decisions to be made going forward. We’ve got four games to play first before that, but I know that's coming."

“There have been games moved in the Champions League I would imagine for Covid restrictions”, Steve Cooper said in a press conference.

Andre Dede Ayew has been in top form for the Welsh club in the ongoing campaign and is the club’s top scorer with 14 goals.

Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor has assembled a team dominated by local-based players to prepare for the doubleheader.