Nana Oduro Sarfo unfazed by Thomas Partey’s absence ahead of tournament

Executive Council Member of the Ghana Football Association, Nana Oduro Sarfo is not bothered by the absence of Arsenal star Thomas Partey ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

Partey was named in the provisional 55-man squad but had to be dropped from the Black Stars squad final 27-man list for the tournament due to an ongoing hamstring injury.

The former Atletico Madrid star, who now plays for Arsenal, has been grappling with the hamstring problem and hasn't featured in a match since October. The decision to exclude him from the squad reflects a cautious approach to ensure the player's overall well-being.

In an exclusive interview with Citi Sports, Nana Oduro Sarfo emphasizes that it’s illogical to include an injured player in the squad for the tournament.

“I don’t see why we should carry an injured player to the African Cup of Nations, the injury is something we cannot hide, it is out there in the public.

If Partey is injured, I don’t see why we should take, I just hope we get another Partey at the AFCON”

This marks the first time since his debut 2016 that Thomas Partey will miss an AFCON tournament with the Ghana national team.

Over the years, he has been a consistent presence, featuring in the 2017, 2019, and 2021 AFCONs, as well as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.