Former Ghana international, Kenneth Sarpong, has expressed his desire to see Andre Ayew return to the Black Stars following the team’s recent struggles.
Ayew, who recently joined French Ligue 1 side Le Havre, has been left out of the Black Stars squad three times in a row under coach Otto Addo. His exclusions came during the June 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the subsequent AFCON qualifying matches.
The former West Ham United and Swansea City forward was notably absent as Ghana, four-time AFCON champions, managed only a point from their two games against Sudan. The Black Stars drew 0-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium and then suffered a 2-0 defeat at the Benina Martyrs Stadium in Libya. These results have left Ghana on the brink of missing the AFCON tournament for the first time since 2004.
In an interview with Kessben FM, as reported by Ghanasoccernet.com, Sarpong, a former Hearts of Oak midfielder, stressed the importance of bringing the experienced Ayew back into the squad.
“Andre Ayew being on the bench will not cause any problem at Black Stars camp. His presence in the team will be extra motivation. He knows how to motivate players when the going gets tough. It will be better to have him back in the team,” Sarpong stated.
He also expressed disappointment with the way the former U20 World Cup winner has been treated lately.
“A patriotic player like Andre Ayew does not deserve bad treatment,” Sarpong added.
Now at Le Havre, Ayew will be aiming for a return to the national team as he continues to play regular football. The Black Stars are set to face Niger and Angola in November for the final round of AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
