GHANA coach Avram Grant named a provisional 26-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon yesterday, with Leicester City’s Jeff Schlupp a surprise omission.Schlupp’s Leicester team-mate Daniel Amartey was included as was another English Premier League player, Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew of West Ham.
Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew – Andre’s brother – was one of three English Championship players named, alongside Christian Atsu of Newcastle and Andy Diadom of Barnsley.
There was no place for Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah who was struggling to make the cut following a series of knee injuries.
The Black Stars will now go to the United Arab Emirates for a training camp from where Grant will reveal his final squad of 23 by the January 4 deadline.
The tournament kicks off in Gabon on January 14
Ghana will be based in Port-Gentil where they will face Mali, Egypt and Uganda in Group D.
The Black Stars’ first match will be against Uganda on January 17.
Ghana Squad:
Goalkeepers: Razak Braimah (Cordoba, Spain), Adam Kwarasey (Rosenborg, Norway), Richard Ofori (Wa All Stars, Ghana)
Defenders: Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew, USA), Andy Yiadom(Barnsley, England), Baba Rahman (Schalke, Germany), Frank Acheampong (Anderlecht, Belgium), John Boye (Sivasspor,Turkey), Jonathan Mensah (Anzhi, Russia), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England), Edwin Gyimah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Midfielders: Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Afriyie Acquah (Torino, Italy), Mubarak Wakaso (Panathinaikos, Greece), Christian Atsu (Newcastle, England), Ebenezer Ofori (AIK Stockholm, Sweden), Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Samuel Tetteh (Leifering, Austria), Joseph Larweh Attamah (Başakşehir, Turkey)
Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ahli, UAE) Jordan Ayew (Aston Villa, England), Abdul-Majeed Waris (Lorient, France), Andre Ayew (West Ham, England), Ebenezer Assifuah (Sion, Switzerland), Bernard Tekpetey (Schalke, Germany), Rahpael Dwamena (Austria Lustenau, Austria)