fbpx

Andre Ayew’s Injury At West Ham Puts 2017 AFCON Participation At Risk

Andre Ayew’s Injury At West Ham Puts 2017 AFCON Participation At Risk

Ghana international Andre Ayew’s injury suffered while playing for new club West Ham United puts his participation at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations at risk.

This is due to the fact that his recovery is expected to take until the end of the year.

Ayew completed a club-record $27 million move to English Premier League side West Ham United from Swansea City on a three-year deal.

This eclipses the previous record of $19.7 million that the Hammers paid to Liverpool for attacker Andy Carroll.

The winger was expected to strengthen the London club’s attacking prospects, with 12 goals scored in his first EPL term last season. Coach Slaven Bilić was confident that he would be able to count on the talented Ghanaian.

Unfortunately the 26-year-old would not get off to the best of starts. He suffered an injury in his first Premier League outing, forcing him off the pitch half an hour into West Ham’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea.

Scans revealed a thigh injury that would keep him away from the game for around four months. The rehabilitation period will mean that he would likely return in December at the earliest, if not only at the beginning of 2017.

Andre Ayew’s injury puts AFCON at risk

The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations will see the continent’s best descend on Gabon to decide the best national team in Africa. The Ghanaians have secured qualification for the event.

Ghana is often among the favourites to do well at the competition, and Andre Ayew often features as an important player within the talented Black Stars squad.

He is a leader within the national team, having played for the second-best team on the continent according to the FIFA rankings since 2007, amassing 67 caps and scoring 11 goals for his country.

This recent injury puts his participation at the tournament at risk, which will be devastating for the player, as well as for his coach and team-mates. The tournament itself begins on January 14.

At best, his recovery will be last-minute in relation to the competition, and his fitness levels will be dubious. Ayew will also face the added pressure from his club, which have paid a record fee for the winger, only to see him get injured early on and then potentially choose to fly out for international duty in Gabon.

For Ayew the Nations Cup is a competition that has caused him personal heartache, with the last edition assigning meaning to the cruel words, ‘so close yet so far’. Ghana made it to the final, only to lose out in an extended penalty shootout to the victorious Ivorians.

Ayew’s tears on that day would perhaps only have been quelled by the knowledge that he would have another shot at becoming an African champion in two years time. This injury threatens to derail that aim.

While all African fans, and especially those who favour Ghana, will want to see Ayew feature in the competition, much will depend on his recovery. Not to mention the will of his new club West Ham.

The London club was keen to lure him in a record deal, but they may not be willing to see him leave soon after his recover, to potentially be injured once again at the AFCON in Gabon. Only time will tell.

rmcsport.bfmtv
rmcsport.bfmtv