Thomas Partey returns to training, boosting Ghana's hopes for AFCON 2023 glory

Ghana has received a significant injury boost ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup, as midfielder Thomas Partey has returned to full training and could feature before the year ends.

Partey had been sidelined since October due to a hamstring issue, and it was initially reported that he would not return to training until early next year.

However, the midfielder has made a quick recovery, and was spotted training with his teammates on Tuesday ahead of Arsenal's Premier League clash against West Ham on Thursday night.

This news comes as a relief for Ghana, as Partey's absence had caused concern for the national team's technical staff. With his return, coach Chris Hughton can now include him in his plans for the tournament.

Partey is expected to receive clearance from Arsenal to join the Ghana squad, who will be camping in Johannesburg from December 31. The team will spend 10 days there and play a friendly match against Botswana.

The midfielder's return to fitness has raised hopes for Ghana's performance at the tournament, where they aim to end their long drought without an African championship title. They have not won the competition since 1982 and have lost three finals since then.

With Partey back in action and players like Mohammed Kudus in top form, Ghana can confidently face their group opponents Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Egypt, and potentially make a deep run in the tournament.