Midfielder Thomas Partey has withdrawn from the Ghana camp after pulling out late from Friday night’s international friendly defeat to Brazil.
The Arsenal star had been listed as the anchor man in the Black Stars’ starting line-up but he reported discomfort around the knee and was supposedly excused from the game after warm-up as a precaution.
Real Mallorca midfielder Baba Iddrisu replaced Baba for the game Ghana eventually lost through three unanswered first-half goals by the Brazilians.
The latest Partey injury setback – murmured to have hugely disrupted coach Otto Addo’s tactics against Brazil – divides opinions as some sections strongly believing was not genuine, accuse the player – who only recently returned from a 3-week layoff – of cunningly refusing to risk himself.
Now reports from the team’s camp Saturday morning indicate that the 29-year-old has been permitted to report back to his club Arsenal.
Partey has packed his bag and is on his way out of the Black Stars base in Deauville, France for London where he will be hoping to stay fit for Arsenal’s North London Derby at home to Tottenham immediately after the international break.
Ghana, meanwhile, will train at 15:00 GMT today before heading to Spanish town Lorca to prepare for the next game against Nicaragua. It is scheduled for Tuesday, September 27.
