Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan was caught between choosing English Championship side Reading FC and participating in the 2017 African Cup of Nations (Afcon), sources have confirmed to ghonetv.com.
A fit Gyan, a sure bet, probably the first name on coach Avram Grant’s list for the Nations Cup come January next year was told by officials of the Madjeski Stadium side he needed to be “available for the club from now till Afcon and beyond,” the source close to the player revealed.
The 30-year-old has been in England since Sunday to push his move to Reading through and had made clear his fitness status to the Berkshire-based club.
According to our source, “Gyan made it known to them he was on a schedule that will see him return to full fitness in November”
The source further claims the side had accepted to sign on the record goalscoring Ghana international despite the situation but on some conditions.
They [Reading] know he has 8 weeks to be back…,” the source reechoed.
“They didn’t mind paying… but they want him to be available for the club from now till the Afcon. They said he will be signed if only he agrees to not featuring at the tournament.”
Gyan, who is skipper of the Black Stars, ghonetv.com is told, then rejected the offer based on the condition.
Gyan’s cryptic message on social media
Few minutes after the news of his ‘failed’ medical had gone viral via an initial publication by local news outfit ‘GetReading’, Asamoah Gyan’s social media accounts went on a defensive.
He took an indirect dig at the club with the tweet:
Am proud of my Country, No one can stop me from serving my country.. Ghana made me who I am today.. pic.twitter.com/vBCtpQc9O4
— ASAMOAH GYAN (@ASAMOAH_GYAN3) August 30, 2016
and subsequently his official app also posted on twitter:
Lies lies lies
— BabyJet Under 16 Tournament (@BabyJetU16) August 30, 2016
Meanwhile, the ghonetv.com source clarified the tweet on the official Asamoah Gyan twitter handle has “nothing to do with the issues back home” surrounding finances for the Black Stars’ final Afcon 2017 qualifier against Rwanda Saturday.
On Monday, Sports Minister Edward Nii Lante Vanderpuije had announced his office was out of cash to finance air tickets for invited players for the game.
©ghonetv.com