Newcastle United have been boosted after Ghana cleared winger Christian Atsu to travel to face Blackburn Rovers in their English Championship League game on Monday afternoon.
Atsu, who is part of Ghana’s squad for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations, was expected to have been released by Newcastle to join up with the Black Stars on Sunday.
According to FIFA laws, Newcastle should have released the player 14 days to the start of the tournament in Gabon which fell on New Year’s Day.
However, coach Rafa Benitez is desperate to use the key player for away match against Blackburn later today.
Facing a tough fight to keep their place at the top of the league, Newcastle wrote to the Ghana Football Association last week pleading to delay the arrival of Atsu to the Black Stars Africa Cup of Nations camp.
Ghana football authorities have looked favorably at the request of the English side and will allow Atsu to play the match on Monday afternoon.
Newcastle are top of the English Championship but their place is threatened by Brighton and Hove who are just one point behind the league leaders.
The presence of Atsu could help them win the match and keep alive their hopes of qualifying automatically to the Premier League.
