With Ghana’s path to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations hanging by a thread, Black Stars coach Otto Addo took a proactive step by meeting with Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew. The sit-down, held in Leicester, was reportedly a chance for Addo to address concerns that had arisen within the team during their recent international campaign.

Ghana’s October qualifiers were mired in disappointment and internal discord. The Black Stars managed only a goalless draw in their first encounter with Sudan at the Accra Sports Stadium, followed by a 2-0 defeat in the second leg in Libya. The losses left the team’s AFCON qualification in jeopardy, with Ghana now needing to win both remaining games against Angola and Niger—and for Sudan to falter against these same teams—to keep their hopes alive.

The recent match days were further complicated by roster changes, as captain Andre Ayew and key midfielder Thomas Partey were both unavailable. Addo turned to West Ham star Mohammed Kudus to lead the team, a choice that reportedly left Jordan Ayew disappointed, adding to a tense atmosphere in camp. According to UK-based Ghanaian journalist Rahman Osman, the Leicester meeting aimed to clarify Addo’s decisions and smooth over any lingering concerns with Ayew.

Ghana will now travel to Luanda to face Angola on November 15 before hosting Niger at the Accra Sports Stadium on November 18, 2024, with qualification hopes on the line.