Athletic Club's player, Iñaki Williams, will immediately join the Ghana National Team ahead of the AFCON tournament scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast.

The Spanish club expressed its frustration in an official statement as both the club and the player had hoped for a later joining with the national team, allowing the 29-year-old forward to be available for the match between Athletic and Sevilla on January 4.

The Basque club stated: "Despite the efforts made by Athletic Club and the player himself to be present in the LaLiga match against Sevilla on January 4, the Ghanaian federation has decided to have Iñaki Williams with the rest of the squad from the first day of concentration."

"(Iñaki) will travel this Monday, January 1, to join Ghana in preparation for the Africa Cup, which begins on January 13," noted the Basque club in its press release.

In addition to missing the Athletic-Sevilla match, Williams will also miss games against Real Sociedad, the away matches against Valencia and Cádiz, the match against Mallorca, and the confrontation against Almeria. Adding to the list is the Round of 16 clash against Eibar in the Copa del Rey, making a total of seven games that the Ghanaian will miss with his club.

Iñaki will aim to secure Ghana's fourth Africa Cup in this tournament. They are placed in Group B alongside the current runner-up Egypt, Cape Verde, and Mozambique. Meanwhile, Athletic Club will seek to secure three points against Sevilla, aiming to put pressure on Barcelona and enter UEFA Champions League positions.