The Black Stars have been dealt a major blow ahead of their crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations doubleheader against Sudan after Thomas Partey withdrew from the squad.

The Arsenal midfielder is one of four players to have withdrawn from the squad for the two games due to injury concerns.

Partey, Joseph Paintsil, Ibrahim Osman and Kingsley Schindler have all been excused from the team for the two games this international wind.

According to the Ghana Football Association's statement, Partey will miss out on the game "due to medical issues he is currently experiencing, and his club has scheduled him for further tests in the coming days."

Partey has captained the team since the June international break with Andre Ayew missing out on a place in the national team since June.

On Paintsil, the statement mentioned he "experienced some pain in his hamstrings during LA Galaxy's last game on Saturday, October 5. His club doctors have scheduled him for an MRI on Monday, 7th October. He is therefore unavailable to join the Black Stars."

Osman and Schindler also are unable to join the team due to muscle injury and medical emergency respectively.

Michael Baidoo, Abu Francis, Ibrahim Sadiw and Jonas Adjei Adjetey have been handed call-ups to replace the four players.

Ghana face Sudan in the first meeting on Thursday, October 10 before travelling to Libya for the second encounter on October 15.