The Italy-based centre-forward declined an invitation from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to represent the West African nation at the U-23 level for the upcoming qualifiers, Kickgh.com can exclusively confirm.
US Cremonese striker Felix Afena-Gyan was among the foreign-based players invited to the Black Meteors — U23 team — by Head Coach Ibrahim Tanko for the 2023 Africa U23 Cup of Nations qualifiers double-header against Algeria this month.
A source at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) told Kickgh.com that an invitation was sent to Italian Serie A side US Cremonese for the release of the 20-year-old attacker to play for the Black Meteors during the international break.
However, Afena-Gyan has reluctantly opted not to feature for the Ghana U23 team in the final qualification round slated for the month despite the travelling tickets sent to him by the country's football governing body weeks ago.
“It is never true that Felix Afena-Gyan wasn't invited to the U23 team. He was among the ten foreign based players but he declined the invitation from the GFA,” the source told Kickgh.com“We don't know the reason behind his decision not to honour the invitation, maybe he will explain to us later. We're hoping to secure a positive results in Algeria and climax it with a qualification in Kumasi,”
In spite of the former AS Roma starlet's decision not to honour the U23 invitation, eight foreign-based players namely Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, Salim Adams, Zubairu Ibrahim, Salim Adams, Alex Sarfo, Emmanuel Essiam, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku and Emmanuel Yeboah have all arrived in Black Meteors camp for the all-important assignment.
The team is expected to leave the shores of Ghana tonight to the City of Annaba, venue for Friday's first leg tie, followed by the return leg in Kumasi four days later.
The U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, which serves as qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games, will take place in Morocco in June of this year.
The top three teams from the tournament will qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics men’s football tournament in Paris.
Afena-Gyan was excluded from Ghana's final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar despite playing an instrumental role in the final play-off games in the qualification round against Nigeria.
The 20-year-old has been struggling at US Cremonese since joining them from AS Roma in August last year, he has managed to score only two goals in 19 games for the Tigers in his debut season.
Afena-Gyan has capped seven times for the senior national team of Ghana — Black Stars — with a goal to his credit.
