Thomas Partey has been omitted from the Ghana squad for the Africa Cup of Nations due to the hamstring problem that has ruled him out since October, and Ghana’s manager, Chris Hughton, has revealed some more about the problem.
Thomas Partey last featured for Arsenal against Chelsea on 21 October 2023 when he was on the bench as an unused sub.
While there was hope that he would return to fitness in time to be included in the Ghana squad for the upcoming AFCON tournament, when they announced on Monday, his name was absent.
Speaking to the media, Chris Hughton, who took charge of the Black Stars in February after a spell as their technical director, said about the Arsenal man, “I’ve spent a lot over this period of time with Thomas and also engaging with the medical staff at Arsenal Football Club.
“They will treat this injury with caution, and so will the player. This is a big injury for him and the biggest injury that he’s had.
“The most important thing for me as head coach and our association is to give him the support that he needs through this period of time.
“From all the information that we’ve been given, the timelines of his recovery and the caution that will be taken, will not meet our timelines for the AFCON.”
Since joining Arsenal, Partey has had a series of injuries that have impacted his ability to contribute consistently to the team. In total, he has missed 63 games for Arsenal and Ghana since signing from Atletico Madrid for €50m in 2020.
In the 2023/24 season, Partey suffered a hamstring injury on November 9, 2023, which sidelined him until December 31, 2023. This injury led to a 52-day absence, during which he missed 11 games for Arsenal.
Earlier in the same season, he suffered a groin injury from September 2, 2023, to October 3, 2023, resulting in him missing seven Arsenal games over 31 days.
The 2022/23 season saw Partey out with a knock from September 22, 2022, to September 30, 2022, affecting his availability for two games for Ghana. He also dealt with thigh problems from August 25, 2022, to September 15, 2022, which caused him to miss four Arsenal matches over a period of 21 days.
In the 2021/22 season, Partey faced a knock from April 4, 2022, to July 25, 2022. This lengthy injury led to a 112-day absence, affecting 14 games for both Arsenal and Ghana.
Earlier in that season, he had an ankle injury from July 29, 2021, to August 30, 2021, causing him to miss four Arsenal games over 32 days.
Partey’s first season with Arsenal in 2020/21 also saw him struggling with injuries. He had a hamstring injury from February 4, 2021, to February 22, 2021, missing four Arsenal games during the 18-day period. A hip injury from December 3, 2020, to January 11, 2021, resulted in a 39-day layoff, missing 11 Arsenal games. Earlier in the season, a muscle injury from November 9, 2020, to December 3, 2020, led to his absence from six games for both Arsenal and Ghana over 24 days.
Throughout his time at Arsenal, Partey’s injuries have varied in nature and duration, but they have consistently kept him from contributing fully to the team’s efforts, both at the club and international levels.