Ghana boss Goran Stevanovic has named a 23-man squad for the CAF African Cup of Nations tournament that will be held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The Black Stars are chasing their fifth AFCON title and the first after 30 years, but enter the tournament with two very important players.

First choice keeper Richard Kingson misses out through injury, whereas star midfielder Michael Essien is also unavailable.

The Chelsea star only recently resumed training after recovering from a serious knee injury and he had to make himself unavailable for selection.

Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has received a call-up even though he is struggling with a tendon injury, but boss Stevanovic hopes that the 26-year-old will recover for Ghana’s first game against Botswana.

Marseille forwards and brothers, Andre and Jordan Ayew are both in the squad, as is Udinese playmaker Kwadwo Asamoah.

Having been placed in the same group with Mali, Guinea and Botswana, the Black Stars are 1.73 (8/11) with William Hill to win Group D, whereas they are 6.00 (5/1) to lift the coveted title.

Ghana squad:

Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey (Stromsgodset), Daniel Adjei (Liberty), Ernest Sowah (Berekum Chelsea)

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom (Dnipro), John Paintsil (Leicester), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege), Masawudu Alhassan (Genoa), Lee Addy (Red Star Belgrade), John Boye (Rennes), John Mensah (Lyon), Jonathan Mensah (Evian), Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim)

Midfielders: Charles Takyi (Sankt Pauli), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese), Derek Boateng (Dnipro), Anthony Annan (Vitesse Arnhem), Mohammed Abu (Stromsgodset), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese), Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan), Andre Ayew (Marseille)

Forwards: Prince Tagoe (Bursaspor), Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Jordan Ayew (Marseille)