Ghanaian coach and pundit, Christopher Nimley has said that Derrick Luckassen cannot be the replacement in the Black Stars for the injured Mohammed Salisu ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.

According to Christopher Nimley, Mohammed Salisu is one of the most reliable defenders in the Black Stars and therefore cannot be replaced with an 'armature' ahead of the World Cup.

He argued that re-calling Celta Vigo's Joseph Aidoo or Razak Simpson of Nations FC would have been a better choice than falling on the Pafos FC defender at this critical moment.

“Derrick Luckassen cannot replace Mohammed Salisu. We could have even called up Joseph Aidoo. You see Patrick Pfeiffer, Nations FC’s Razak Simpson is better than him,” coach Nimley said on Citi Sports.

Derrick Luckassen on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, was named in Black Stars coach Otto Addo's 26-man squad for the pre-World Cup friendly games against against Germany and Austria.

The Black Stars will play Austria in Vienna on March 27 before traveling to Stuttgart to face Germany on March 30, 2026.

🎥 🇬🇭 “Derrick Luckassen cannot replace Mohammed Salisu. We could have even called up Joseph Aidoo. You see Patrick Pfeiffer, Nations FC’s Razak Simpson is better than him.”—Coach Nimley clearly is not a fan of the new Black Stars players for the WC friendlies.🤔#CitiSports pic.twitter.com/zAFsn86Iom

— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) March 22, 2026