With the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers approaching, Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz will have some difficult decisions to make when selecting his squad.

While several established players remain automatic choices, along with some players who missed the World Cup through injury, a number of Ghanaians abroad are making strong cases for an opportunity to be selected for the AFCON qualifiers.

Here are five players who deserve consideration for a Black Stars call-up.

Augustine Boakye

Augustine Boakye has made an impressive start to the 2026/27 campaign with Saint-Étienne. The versatile attacker has recorded three goals and two assists in five Ligue 2 appearances, playing 377 minutes.

His pace, creativity and versatility make him a strong option for the Black Stars. Boakye was also part of Ghana’s 2026 World Cup squad but is yet to make his senior international debut.

Rahim Ibrahim

Rahim Ibrahim has quietly established himself as an important midfielder for Slovan Bratislava. The 25-year-old has made four appearances and two starts this season, scoring twice in 151 minutes.

He has also gained valuable European experience and made his UEFA Champions League debut for Slovan against Paris Saint-Germain. With Thomas Partey currently unavailable, Ibrahim could provide an additional option in midfield and potentially fill the void left by the Black Stars vice-captain.

Joseph Opoku

At just 20, Joseph Opoku is making his mark in English football following his move to Swansea City.

The winger impressed at Zulte Waregem last season, recording three goals and seven assists in 26 appearances as the club secured promotion. He has continued that form in the Championship, scoring twice in six appearances and playing 343 minutes.

His pace and attacking ability could provide Ghana with another option on the wings.

Nathaniel Adjei

Nathaniel Adjei could provide valuable depth at centre-back. The 24-year-old has made two Ligue 1 appearances for Lorient this season, playing 270 minutes.

He has won seven aerial duels and recorded four tackles, while boasting an 87% duel-win rate. His physicality and defensive qualities make him worthy of consideration for the Black Stars.

Prince Osei-Owusu

Prince Osei-Owusu’s goalscoring form makes him particularly difficult to overlook. The 29-year-old striker has scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 22 MLS appearances this season, playing 1,792 minutes.

At 1.91m, his physical presence and aerial ability would also give Ghana a different option in attack.

In a nutshell, Ghana have plenty of attacking talent, but current form should be an important factor in AFCON selection. Augustine Boakye offers creativity, Rahim Ibrahim provides midfield depth, Joseph Opoku brings youthful attacking quality, Nathaniel Adjei strengthens the defensive options, while Prince Osei-Owusu’s goalscoring record makes him a compelling choice.

All five deserve to be in the conversation for a place in Ghana’s AFCON squad.

The Black Stars will begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign away to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké on September 24, before hosting The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 29. The two fixtures will mark the beginning of Ghana’s journey to return to the AFCON after missing the 2025 edition in Morocco.