No Partey as Hughton picks stellar Black Stars squad with Kudus for AFCON

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has not been included in the Ghana squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 30-year-old has not featured for Arsenal since October due to a hamstring problem and has been restricted to five appearances in all competitions this season after sustaining a groin injury at the beginning of the campaign.

Brighton full-back Tariq Lamptey also misses out on a place in Chris Hughton’s squad, having been sidelined since November, but West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus has been included.

Lamptey has made eight appearances for Brighton this term and has not played since being forced off against Nottingham Forest in November, suffering an injury that head coach Roberto De Zerbi said would keep him out for a “long time”.

Kudus has impressed for West Ham following his summer move from Ajax, providing six goals and one assist in 16 Premier League appearances. He could will miss West Ham’s FA Cup third round tie against Bristol City and Premier League fixture against Sheffield United, and could also be absent for league matches against Bournemouth, Manchester United and Arsenal depending on how far Ghana go in the tournament.

Ghana, four-time AFCON champions, were eliminated from the group stages of the 2021 competition.

Senegal are the defending champions after their penalty shootout victory over record seven-time winners Egypt in the final of the 2021 tournament.

AFCON 2023 — pushed back six months to avoid the rainy season — takes place between January 13 and February 11 in the Ivory Coast, and up to four Premier League game weeks.

Full squad list;