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West Ham star Mohammed Kudus’s hamstring injury may be more severe than initially thought, putting his participation in Ghana’s opening AFCON match against Cape Verde on Sunday in jeopardy.
The 23-year-old experienced tightness in his hamstring following West Ham’s victory over Arsenal, prompting the club to inform the Ghana Football Association (GFA) of the issue.
Although Kudus was expected to join his teammates last week, his recovery has been slower than anticipated, requiring an additional 5-6 days to reach full fitness. He is currently in Ghana receiving intensive physiotherapy treatment to hasten his recovery.
Kudus will link up with the Ghana squad on Tuesday, as confirmed by coach Chris Hughton after Monday evening’s disappointing 0-0 draw against Namibia in a pre-tournament friendly at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Given that Kudus won’t be fully fit, it remains uncertain if coach Chris Hughton will take a chance on him in the first game against Cape Verde on January 14, 2024 at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
This isn’t the first time Kudus has faced an injury setback; he missed the 2021 AFCON due to a rib fracture and previously sustained a hamstring injury while playing for Ajax in April 2023, causing him to miss four matches.
Ghana find themselves in Group B, accompanied by Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique. With Kudus’s availability for the tournament opener in doubt, the Black Stars may have to reassess their strategy.