Henry Asante Twum, Communications Manager of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has officially announced that goalkeeper David Akologo and midfielder Mohamed Diomande will not be featuring in the Black Stars squad for the March international friendly matches.
Initially named in Otto Addo’s 26-man squad for the games against Nigeria and Uganda, Akologo, who currently plays for Club Aurora in Bolivia, has been called up to the national team of Bolivia. On the other hand, Diomande has been included in Ivory Coast’s U-23 national team.
Speaking on the Ultimate Sports Show on Asempa FM, Asante Twum confirmed that both players will be absent from the squad for the upcoming matches.
He explained that discussions will be held with Akologo and Diomande after the games to address their future involvement with the national team.
“As things stand, those two players [David Akologo and Mohamed Diomande] will not be part of the squad, and this goes beyond football,” he stated.
Twim elaborated on the circumstances surrounding Diomande’s availability, noting that the midfielder expressed eagerness to represent Ghana but faces a dilemma due to being eligible for both Ghana and Ivory Coast.
“As things stand, those two players [David Akologo and Mohamed Diomande] will not be part of the squad, and this goes beyond football,” he said.
“With Diomande, immediately he was named in Ghana’s squad, he was also named in Ivory Coast’s U-23 squad and he can decide where to play. He has informed us that he will need time since he is eligible to play for Ghana and Ivory Coast.
Regarding Akologo, Twum revealed that while the goalkeeper expressed his desire to play for Ghana despite representing Bolivia for several years, the decision hinges on the outcome of the friendly matches and future considerations.
“With regards to Akologo, the FA reached out to him and he said he wants to play for Ghana despite playing for Bolivia for years but these are friendly games and we have to wait and see what happens in the future.
“We just have to move on and focus on the games against Nigeria and Uganda,” he added.
The Black Stars are scheduled to face Nigeria on March 22, followed by a match against Uganda on March 26, both at the Stade de Marrakesh.
