Hindsight: The key talking points in Otto Addo's Unity Cup squad

Otto Addo’s squad list for the 2025 Unity Cup is intriguing.

It features notable absentees, strange omissions, and surprising additions.

Big Name Absentees

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is missing from the tournament roster.

A.F.C Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo and West Ham star Mohammed Kudus are also absent.

The Ghana Football Association claims Partey is being rested.

Inaki Williams, Semenyo, and Kudus are reportedly injured.

However, it seems odd for Partey to rest now.

His club Arsenal has no matches until late July.

They will face A.C. Milan in an international friendly on July 23.

Importance of the Tournament

This tournament offers a chance to experiment with new ideas and players.

Given last year's poor results, this opportunity is crucial.

Ghana aims to build on recent victories against Madagascar and Chad.

Key players like Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo contributed significantly to those wins.

For a team in transition, building cohesiveness should be the priority.

Strange Omissions

Many expected Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer to be included in the squad.

He has excelled while other forwards struggled for goals this year.

Königsdörffer helped Hamburger secure Bundesliga promotion with 14 goals and three assists.

His performance was impressive; he scored twice recently in a key match.

Despite his form, he was still overlooked for selection.

Surprise Additions

Abdul Azziz Issah's loan at Barcelona has not led to significant growth.

He played only 26 minutes total but still received a call-up.

His performances with the Black Satellites were also underwhelming.

Afena Gyan joins him despite a modest season at Juventus U23.

He scored six goals in 26 matches but lacks substantial playing time overall.

These numbers do not justify his inclusion in the squad either.

Salis Abdul Samed’s addition raises similar concerns about player selection.

He has made just eleven appearances all season yet still made the team.

Ultimately, what matters now is how these selected players perform on the field.