Exactly a week before the start of the 2022 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in Algeria, Ghana have been forced to replace goalkeeper Abdulai Iddrisu.
The 25-year-old shot-stopper – considered the second choice to Danlad Ibrahim for the Black Galaxies – has completed a transfer to Tanzania Premier League side Azam FC.
Though not surprising, Abdulai appears to have found himself in a tight situation but initially chose to be on the team that left Accra on Christmas Eve to begin their pre-tournament training camp in Cairo, Egypt.
Players like Bight Adjei and Evans Osei Wusu – who were in a similar position as him regarding a possible January transfer – pulled out before the trip in order not to disrupt the plans of the technical team.
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Iddrisu was with the squad in Egypt but withdrew after featuring in their second game against Al Ahly last on New Year’s Eve.
He travelled to Tanzania for medicals ahead of his transfer from Bechem United to Azam FC.
Need a replacement
Iddrisu’s situation differs slightly from that of Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, who recently signed for FC Zurich but is eligible to participate in the CHAN tournament.
The Azam deal – which could be announced anytime soon – makes him ineligible as the competition allows only players from their domestic leagues.
Barnieh’s contract with FC Zurich has been scheduled to kick in when his current deal with Hearts of Oak runs out at the end of the first week of February – just after the final of the CHAN 2022 tournament. His new employers can go ahead to register him as their Winter transfer window closes on February 13.
But in Iddrisu’s situation, the second transfer window in Tanzania is set to close on January 15 – the same day Ghana will play their opening match.
And the player chose the transfer over representing Ghana at the CHAN.
Stephen Kwaku in?
Since moving camp from Egypt to Algeria on January 3, the team has been training with two goalkeepers – William Essu and Danlad Ibrahim.
It is understood that arrangements are underway for Iddrisu’s replacement to join the team in Algeria.
It is likely Great Olympics goalkeeper Steven Kwaku could be the choice as he was part of the Galaxies 40-man squad that started the CHAN preparations in December.
