Dutch side, Ajax FC are unwilling to release Mohammed Kudus for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon] as the player continues his recovery from a rib injury.
Kudus suffered a rib injury during the final game of the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against South Africa at the Cape Coast Stadium in November.
With less than three weeks for the start of the 33rd edition of the Afcon, Ajax head coach Erik Ten Hag believes it will be unwise for the 21-year-old who has suffered 4 injuries in a year and a half to risk playing in such a physically demanding competition with little match fitness.
Ten Hag disclosed this to journalists following their 5 – 0 victory against Fortuna Sittard on match week 18.
Ajax, however, cannot prevent Kudus from travelling to Cameroon but can only hope to convince the player.
According to Jeroen Kapteijns of The Telegraaf in the Netherlands, Ten Haag is positive that Kudus will listen to the medical team of the club and rather join the rest of his teammates in Portugal for a training camp ahead of the start of the second round of the season.
Kudus joined Ajax from Nordsjaelland in 2020 for a fee of 9 million euros and made 17 appearances in his first season which was derailed by a meniscus injury.
Rajevac will now have to settle on a new player as a replacement for the former Right to Dream Academy graduate.
Meanwhile, the Black Stars officially opened camp in Qatar on Wednesday, where they will camp 17 days behind closed doors.
The Black Stars will play three friendly games before flying to Yaounde for the tournament.
Ghana are housed in Group C alongside Morocco, Gabon and Comoros.
The 2021 Afcon will kick off from January 9 to February 6 with the Black Stars aiming to end the country’s 40 years trophy drought.
Kudus has only managed 6 appearances this season due to an ankle injury and a rib injury. He has made 10 appearances for Ghana’s Black Stars.
Source: Modern Ghana
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