Former Ghana international Augustine Arhinful has urged Ghanaians to remain patient with André Ayew, insisting the former Black Stars captain deserves time to rediscover his best form after a difficult start to the season.

The 36-year-old forward, who was without a club for the first half of the 2025/26 campaign, completed a move to NAC Breda in December and has since made fourteen appearances, scoring once, as the team continues its fight against relegation.

Reacting to the debate about his potential inclusion in the Black Stars squad for the 2026 World Cup, Arhinful noted that:

“Dede was not active at the beginning of the season. He only joined a club in December 2025 and started playing in January 2026, so let’s allow him to find his rhythm,” he said to GhanawebTV

The former Trabzonspor forward added that: “His club is still battling relegation, so we should give him time to return to the form we expect from him. We shouldn’t say that just because he has played for the team before, we should give him a final goodbye-no,” he added.

He however also emphasized that his inclusion or otherwise lies solely with Carlos Queiroz.

“we are entering a competition where we need players; every selected player is necessary. If the coach feels he should be part of the squad, why not? Perhaps his professionalism and leadership qualities will prove to be vital.”

Black Stars head coach, Carlos Queiroz is expected to unveil his squad for the tournament on June 1, with Ayew still tipped to be included