Thomas Partey, Arsenal midfielder misses out on Ghana AFCON squad

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey will not take part in the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire after Ghana excluded him from their 27-man squad for the tournament.

The dynamic midfielder has been injured for weeks and will now remain in North London to continue his recovery.

The news comes as a positive one for Arsenal as they can have Partey available in January and February — the duration the AFCON 2023 will be held.

The former Atletico Madrid star has battled with injuries in recent months, which has dealt a huge blow on the Gunners given his versatility, experience and quality.

Arsenal saw their title aspirations suffer a massive setback following back-to-back Premier League defeats at the hands of West Ham United and Fulham, with their lack of options in midfield contributing to their woeful performances in both games.

Takehiro Tomiyasu returned to action yesterday and often drifted into midfield after coming on for the second-half, but he was unable to influence proceedings and having Partey available could have made a huge difference.

The 30-year-old has not featured for Arsenal since the league victory over Manchester City in October, missing the last 17 games across all competitions.

Partey picked up a knock in training ahead of their Champions League trip to Sevilla later that month and was forced to undergo a specialist procedure for treatment on a thigh injury in November.

Arsenal return to action on January 7 when they take on Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup before resuming Premier League action against Crystal Palace on January 20, and the Ghana international could be available for the game against the Eagles.