Man City injury news: Antoine Semenyo statement released after attacker withdraws from Ghana squad

Manchester City star Antoine Semenyo has withdrawn from the Ghana squad due to injury.

The 26-year-old attacker had initially been called up to represent his country in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ivory Coast and Gambia during the two-week international break.

However, Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okrakuh has confirmed that Semenyo will not be involved following a conversation with head coach Carlos Queiroz.

This comes after Semenyo admitted that he was 'battered and bruised' following his man-of-the-match performance in City’s 5-3 Premier League win over Sunderland last weekend, in which he scored twice.

"Antoine and the coach spoke, and he told the coach, ‘If you need me, I will come down for the medical team to re-examine me," Okrakuh explained to Ghanaian radio station Asempa FM.

"The truth is that my leg is swollen, and we need to treat it.”

Semenyo nursing ‘swollen leg’ as Man City star pulls out of Ghana duty

"As a leader, if you want to know your players, and in this particular case, we know the players and how honest they are when it comes to situations like this, you’d have to ask yourself whether you’d allow Antoine to continue with his recovery and be ready for Man City and for Ghana during the next window.

“Or have Antoine fly down to Ghana to undergo an MRI and then ask him to go back because he can’t play. His leg is swollen."

Semenyo is a 38-cap Ghana international who represented his country at the 2026 World Cup and is regarded as a key member of Queiroz’s team.

The London-born attacker has also established himself as a first-team regular at Man City under new manager Enzo Maresca, playing the full 90 minutes in all five Premier League matches this season.

Semenyo also played for 62 minutes in City’s Champions League win over Porto earlier this month, but he was rested for their thumping 5-0 victory against Norwich City in the EFL Cup third round last week.

Semenyo emerges as minor doubt for Liverpool, PSG clashes

Man City will hope that Semenyo can made a quick recovery over the two-week international break before the Citizens resume a busy fixture schedule in multiple competitions.

Maresca believes that Semenyo has performed well in the absence of Jeremy Doku, who recovered from a calf injury to feature as a substitute against Sunderland after missing six games.

"It’s much better to work with him than against, for sure, no doubt," Maresca said when discussing the importance of Semenyo prior to the Manchester derby triumph.

"Again, he’s giving us a lot in terms of on the ball and off the ball. If you see the first goal we scored at [Crystal] Palace away, it was his cross. The first goal we scored against Coventry was his assist.

"So he’s working very well. Again, not only on the ball, [but] also off the ball, he’s working. He’s helping the team a lot."

Man City return to Premier League action on October 11 when they lock horns with Liverpool at Anfield, three days before they welcome Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain to the Etihad Stadium for matchday two in the League Phase.