Joseph Paintsil breaks silence on why he turned down Black Stars call-up for Uganda and Nigeria games
Joseph Paintsil
LA Galaxy attacker, Joseph Paintsil, has clarified his decision to turn down a call-up for Ghana’s upcoming matches due to his recent transfer to Major League Soccer (MLS).
In a statement issued on March 17, 2024, Paintsil explained that, he is still in the process of completing immigration documentation following his move to LA Galaxy.
Consequently, he is unable to leave the United States and participate in international fixtures with the Black Stars.
“As a result of my very recent move to a new club in the United States, there are some further immigration documentation procedures I have to go through, which is why I am unable to travel outside the United States until the process is completed,” he stated.
“For this reason, I am unable to join the squad for the upcoming friendly games,” he added.
He further noted that he has made the situation known to the Black Stars technical team. “I have duly communicated the reasons for my absence from the national team to management.”
Unable to Join the Ghana Squad As a result of my very recent move to a new club in the United States, there are some further immigration documentation procedures I have to go through, which is why I am unable to travel outside the United States until the process is completed.… pic.twitter.com/6OAiHAsuMs— Joseph Paintsil (@josephpaintsil_) March 17, 2024
The forward sealed his transfer to LA Galaxy in February 2024, signing a four-year contract. Since then, he has featured in three games, netting a goal and providing an assist.
Despite his availability, Paintsil was absent from Otto Addo’s 26-man squad announced on March 16, 2024, for the friendlies against Nigeria and Uganda.