GFA officials are working behind even harder the scenes as they seek to convince rising Timothy Fosu-Mensah to represent Ghana at international level.

It was announced on Wednesday that the Dutch national team coach, Danny Blind, has dropped the Manchester United youngster from an upcoming friendly due to fitness concerns.

Having been called up to the senior Oranje squad for the first time earlier this month, Ghanaians saw their chances of getting the 18-year old to wear the Black Stars colours being dealt a major blow.

But this news, which means Fosu-Mensah will not make his debut for the time being, may be what local authorities need to snap up the youngster for the future.

Coach Danny Blind revealed the teenager is struggling, but said he would be in contention again in the future. "Timothy is eighteen. There’s a lot come down on him in recent weeks. The reward for this was a place on the shortlist. I wanted him in the final selection, but you have to be fit. And he’s not one hundred percent fit at the moment.

“That’s too bad. I wanted to see him, but I hope I can still see him at work after the summer.”

Ghana has tried to encourage him to switch alliegances, with the player's agency confirming the approach. "They called us. Ghana indeed wants to drive him to choose Ghana," said a rep Stellar Group to Dutch publication Algemeen Dagblad. 

As for the teenage defender himself, he refused to be drawn onto the topic after United's FA Cup semi-final win over Everton.

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