Essien to join Ghana squad on Tuesday

Essien has been nursing an ankle injury

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien will join the Black Stars pre African Cup of Nations camp in South Africa on Tuesday before the team departs for the tournament.

 
The Chelsea star has been recovering from injury in England and was allowed to delay his arrival to fully recuperate.

“We agreed that he must complete his rehabilitation with Chelsea, so I am expecting that he will join us on Tuesday before we go to Angola,” Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac said. 

His arrival has the Black Stars at full strength ahead of the competition in Angola which starts on 10 January.

Essien will captain Ghana at this month's African Cup of Nations because of injuries to the substantive captain and his deputy. 

Permanent captain Stephen Appiah was not named in the squad because of injury and the Black Stars were expected to be led by his deputy John Mensah. 

But the England-based defender was also left out of the squad on Thursday night because of of a calf injury which will rule him out of the tournament. 

Essien, who has been playing the role of a captain in the absence of both players, will take the mantle to lead Ghana at the tournament in Angola. 

They will play Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo at the tournament.