Leicester City boss urges Ghana to handle Fatawu Issahaku with care amid fitness concerns

Leicester City manager Martí Cifuentes is urging Ghana to handle Abdul Fatawu Issahaku with care in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers amid fitness concerns.

Issahaku, who recently recovered from a lengthy injury has returned to the Black Stars team for the final round of the World Cup qualifying series.

The former Sporting CP star sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in November 2024 while in action for Ghana.

Issahaku has enjoyed a strong start with Leicester City in the English Championship, with the 21-year-old winger scoring two outstanding goals and providing an assist already this season.

For Ghana, the sight of Issahaku in the national team colours again brings renewed hope, but for Leicester City, it stirs quiet anxiety.

However, manager Martí Cifuentes has cautioned Ghana to take care of the winger, who has been the driving force for his outfit this season.

“I would like the Ghana national team to take care of him because he’s still in this period where he has not played a lot of full games still,” the City manager said. “I’m sure they’re going to take care of him, because he’s an important player for us but as well for them.” He said.

As Ghana chases qualification glory and Leicester plots promotion back to the Premier League, both sides know that their ambitions are intertwined — and that how Fatawu is managed in the coming weeks could define his career for years to come.

The West African football heavyweights head into the final round of the qualifying series on top of Group I, needing four points to book a spot at the biggest soccer mundial to be staged in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year.

The Black Stars will take on Central African Republic on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at the Stade d’Honneur de Meknes before hosting Comoros at the Accra Sports Stadium on October 12.