Black Stars captain, Andre Ayew (Dede), is conspicuously missing from the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Mali and the Central African Republic squad named by Otto Addo yesterday.
Dede’s omission comes as a surprise taking into account his recent fine form, finishing the just-ended season on a good note; scoring six goals to earn Le Havre a place in the French Ligue 1.
Calls for his exit from the team reached roof top after Ghana’s premature exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire earlier this year.
The calls notwithstanding, Otto Addo included Ayew in the squad for the March friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda, indicating a willingness to work with the skipper.
But Dede failed to make the squad for the double header.
The Black Stars will begin their training camp today at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon.
They aim to return to winning ways after securing one win and one loss in their first two matches in Group I of the World Cup qualifiers.
Ghana started the campaign with a 1-0 victory over Madagascar in Kumasi but lost 1-0 to Comoros in Moroni.
The Stars will face Mali at Stade 26 Mars in Bamako on Thursday, June 6, and later face the Central African Republic at the Baba Yara Stadium on June 10.
Below is the full squad
Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Jojo Wollacot (Hibernian FC), Frederick Asare (Asante Kotoko).
Defenders: Gideon Mensah (AJ Auxerre), Ebenezer Annan (FK Novi Pazar), Mohammed Salisu (AS Monaco), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Alexander Djiku (Fenerbahce Istanbul), Alidu Seidu (Stade Rennes), Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Midfielders: Mohammed Kudus (West Ham United), Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyon), Salis Abdul Samed (RC Lens), Ibrahim Sulemana (Cagliari Calcio), Edmund Addo (FK Radnicki Nis), Thomas Partey (FC Arsenal), Elisha Owusu ( AJ Auxerre), Abu Francis (Cercle Brugge).
Forwards: Osman Bukari (RS Belgrade), Issahaku Abdul Fatawu (Leicester City, loan from Sporting CP), Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Ibrahim Osman (FC Nordsjaelland), Kamaldeen Sulemana (FC Southampton), Brandon Thomas-Asante (West Bromwich).
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum
