Former Ghana international Frimpong Manso has urged the Black Stars interim technical team to include more locally based players in the squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Somalia.

Ghana will face Somalia in a double-header during the Matchday 3 and 4 fixtures later this month, with the first encounter scheduled for November 12 before the return fixture on November 16. Both matches are expected to be played in Ghana.

Speaking in an interview with Sporty FM, Manso said the upcoming international window presents an opportunity for the technical team to assess talent in the Ghana Premier League, particularly with some key foreign-based players facing injury and fitness concerns.

He stressed that selecting more domestic players should not be viewed as underestimating Somalia but rather as an opportunity to strengthen Ghana’s squad while rewarding players who are capable of making an impact.

“I feel this is the opportunity to try and give the local players a chance. I feel we can get about five players who have the ability and quality, then we can add the foreign-based players to them,” the former Nations FC and Bibiani Gold Stars head coach said.

Manso also warned against selecting foreign-based players who may not be sufficiently fit or playing regularly at their respective clubs to contribute effectively to the national team.

He specifically pointed to the fitness concerns surrounding Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo, suggesting that Ghana should explore alternative options rather than depend on players who may not be at their best.

“If you call Kudus, there’s no way he will come, and even if he does come, he won’t give his best because he returned from injury and is gaining some match fitness. Semenyo is also injured, so who are we calling to the national team?” he added.

The Asante Kotoko legend believes the Black Stars can build a competitive squad by incorporating a significant number of players from the domestic league alongside foreign-based footballers who are fit and committed to national duty.

“We should be able to call half of the team from the local league, then we can add the rest from other leagues. But not necessarily that they don’t perform. We call those that will come and give their best,” Manso said.

He further noted that the demanding schedules in Europe’s major leagues could affect the readiness of some players for international assignments, making it important for the technical team to prioritise those willing and available to give their best for Ghana.

Manso believes the upcoming qualifiers could provide an ideal platform for domestic league players to demonstrate their quality and stake a claim for regular places in the Black Stars.

Head coach Kim Lars Björkegren and his technical team are expected to announce their squad this week ahead of the two matches.

Ghana head into the double-header under pressure to revive their qualifying campaign after suffering consecutive defeats against Ivory Coast and The Gambia in their opening Group C fixtures.

The four-time African champions are yet to record a victory in the qualifiers and will be desperate to collect maximum points from both matches to improve their chances of reaching the 2027 tournament.

The fixtures also offer Ghana an opportunity to rebuild their confidence following their failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.