Nana Oduro Sarfo, an Executive Council Member of the Ghana Football Association, remains unfazed by the absence of Arsenal star Thomas Partey from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Despite being named in the provisional 55-man squad, Partey was dropped from the final 27-man list due to an ongoing hamstring injury.
In an exclusive interview with Citi Sports, Sarfo highlights the importance of prioritizing the player’s well-being and deems it illogical to include an injured player in the tournament squad.
“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,” Sarfo states, expressing optimism for the team’s performance despite the star player’s absence.
This marks the first time since his 2016 debut that Thomas Partey will miss an AFCON tournament with the Ghana national team, ending a streak of consistent appearances in major football events.