Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz has provided insight into Mohammed Kudus’ decision to withdraw from Ghana’s squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The 26-year-old was initially named in Ghana’s squad for the qualifiers against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia but withdrew on Sunday after featuring for Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League clash with Aston Villa.

Queiroz revealed that his initial discussions with Kudus had been positive, but the situation changed after the forward featured for his club.

The Portuguese coach also acknowledged that national team coaches do not have full control over decisions concerning players at club level.

“It is simple for you guys to understand. In the course of our decisions as national team coaches, we cannot control the decisions of club coaches.

“In the course of our conversations, it looked like Kudus was moving in the right direction. After playing 70-something minutes for Tottenham, we had a little conversation with him and decided it would be best for him to rest and recover properly.

“We have to make decisions based on the information we have in our hands,” Queiroz said.

Kudus’ withdrawal means he will miss Ghana’s opening two AFCON 2027 qualifying fixtures against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.