Ghana has refused West Ham’s request to allow Mohammed Kudus to play against Brighton tomorrow, according to talkSPORT.
Kudus has been called up by his national team to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts on January 13.
West Ham’s first game of 2024 is against Brighton at home on Tuesday night, following their recent 2-0 victory against Arsenal.
Premier League clubs are required to release their players for African Nations Cup duty on January 1.
The Hammers sought special permission for Kudus to report late due to their game being rescheduled to January 2.
However, Ghana coach Chris Hughton wants all his players to report as planned.
West Ham’s Moroccan defender Nayef Aguerd is also expected to be unavailable, but Brighton may reapply for permission for both players to participate.
Kudus’ absence could be a significant setback for West Ham, as he has excelled in his debut season at the club.
The attacking midfielder has scored nine goals in 24 appearances across all competitions since joining from Ajax in the summer.
Only Jarrod Bowen has scored more than him this season, with both players being key to West Ham’s success so far.
Kudus has earned 26 international caps for Ghana and represented them at the World Cup in Qatar.
He missed the previous Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 due to a rib fracture but is likely to feature this time around.
Should Ghana progress far in the tournament, Kudus will miss matches against Manchester United and Arsenal.
For now, it looks like the 23-year-old will be absent for the game against Brighton, with both teams aiming for a top seven finish this season.
