2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Thomas Partey will miss Ghana v Sudan games due to illness - Henry Asante Twum

Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Twum, has provided insight into Thomas Partey’s absence from the Black Stars' squad for the Sudan games.

The Arsenal midfielder will not feature in the upcoming doubleheader against Sudan in the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Michael Baidoo called up to replace him.

On Monday, the GFA announced that Partey would miss the matches due to a medical issue.

However, in an interview, Asante Twum clarified that Partey is unwell, though he did not disclose the specifics of his illness.

“Thomas Partey isn’t injured but rather illness. He is sick and not injured as speculations say. It isn’t malaria and I can’t disclose the kind of illness he is suffering from at the moment," he told Asempa FM.

“It is not everything we can put in the public domain and of course, if it is not an illness that everyone [around] him knows, I wouldn’t say he is sick. I can’t, however, bring out his medical record," he added.

In the meantime, the Black Stars held their first training session on Monday at the Accra Sports Stadium, with 11 players present. An additional eight players are expected to join the camp for the second training session.

The first match of the doubleheader is set for Thursday, October 10, at the Accra Sports Stadium, followed by the return leg on October 14 at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Libya.

Currently, Ghana sits in third place in Group F, having earned just one point after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Angola in their opening match and managing a 1-1 draw against Niger.