Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah would be in England for the Senegal game despite being ruled out through injury.
According to the All Sports newspaper, quoting its sources at the Ghana Football Association, Appiah wants to be on the sidelines on Tuesday to watch his teammates play against the Senegalese.
The Captain "wants to be with the team to see how they are faring. It’s all about the friendship and unity in the squad. There are also young players who have been invited to camp and he wants to be there to welcome them. So he will not pass up that opportunity to see his teammates" said a source at the Ghana Football Association.
Appiah is still recovering from an injury he sustained last season in the Turkish league.
But he reckons attending the game is the only way he can lend moral support to the team.
Appiah has three weeks away from returning to fitness but insists his handicap will not prevent him from going to London.
He is reportedly under instructions from his personal trainer to stay out from active soccer before the end of the month. "I want to watch them play and feel like I am part of the team even though I'm unfit to play," the paper quotes the captain as saying.
Like Essien he would sit out of three friendly internationals for Ghana on the trot. Appiah was absent when Ghana played Austria and Brazil.
His absence would be a big blow to Stars Coach Claude Leroy who had hoped to have Appiah in the squad.
Leroy could rest his hopes on players like Bernard Kumordzi, Anthony Annan, Andre 'Dede' Ayew and Ahmed Barusso to hold the fort in the midfield.
Isaac Vorsah and Ayew would receive their first cap for Ghana should they get to play in the Senegal match.
Appiah is a staple in the Stars line up but injury has not been kind to him since May this year while on duty for club side Fenerbahce.
Indeed it's not only Ghana which is mulling over the loss of Appiah. Fenerbahce who lost on their opening day in the Turkish Superliga want their playmaker back and in time to salvage their championship run.
However Appiah has huge responsibilities as the Nations Cup approaches. As host captain, he has to inspire the Black Stars to victory.
The Senegal game is the first of many matches the Stars are billed to play before January next year. The Stars play Saudi Arabia in London and a four nation tournament on home soil before the Cup of Nations kick-starts in January next year.
