Ghana could be without Thomas Partey in AFCON 2027 qualifiers
Ghana’s national team could be without midfielder Thomas Partey in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia due to an injury. The absence of the Black Stars’ vice-captain would be a significant loss for Carlos Queiroz’s team, MyJoyOnline reports.
Partey, who plays for Al-Shabab, was one of Ghana’s notable players at the World Cup. The report examined three midfielders whom Queiroz could consider as replacements if the footballer is unavailable.
Options for the midfield
One of the candidates is Sassuolo’s Ibrahim Sulemana. This season, he has played only 30 minutes for his new club, but he has already demonstrated the ability to replace Partey in the national team. His strengths are said to be composure on the ball and defensive skills. His familiarity with the current squad could also be an important factor given the limited preparation time before the match against Côte d’Ivoire.
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Another contender is 21-year-old Emmanuel Adjei. He was among Ghana’s most notable players in the friendly against Mexico before the World Cup, where he played alongside Majeed Ashimeru. In that match, his passing accuracy was 92%. This season, Adjei has already accumulated 238 minutes of playing time.
A versatile midfielder
Hammarby midfielder Frank Adjei Jr. is also named among the possible replacements. He can play in all three positions in central midfield, both defensively and offensively. This season, the footballer, who previously represented Bibiani Gold Stars, has scored three goals and provided one assist, mainly playing as a defensive midfielder.
Ghana will begin its AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with an away match against Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24. Five days later, the team will play Gambia at home at Accra Sports Stadium.
