I have not retired from Black Stars – Christian Atsu

• Atsu says he is still a player of the Black Stars

• He has however requested time from Akonnor to sort out some issues

• He hinted that his next club could be outside Europe

Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu has refuted reports he has pulled on the plug on his national team career.

Atsu who was the most outstanding player at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations has yet to feature for the Black Stars under Charles Kwablan Akonnor.

His continued absence has led to speculations of him calling time on his national team career but the former Newcastle man says the reports are untrue.

Atsu told Crime Check Foundation that he has held discussions with coach Akonnor on why it would be appropriate for him to sit out Black Stars matches in the interim.

He hit back at his critics and stated that once he is ready, his availability will be made known to the coach.

“I don’t want to reply to certain things again, when you come out to reply everybody gives their own interpretation. Ask yourself when I said I have stopped the Black Stars, when lots of Ghanaians speak about me, I leave them to talk. The coach visited me at Newcastle and said he wants me to come and play and I explained certain reasons to him and he understood”.

Atsu was released by Newcastle following the expiration of his contract and the winger has failed to rule out a move to a club outside Europe.

He has been strongly linked with clubs in Turkey and Scotland but Atsu a move to a club outside Europe is a possibility.

“I have a lot of offers but I think I will leave Europe but I cannot say anything for now,” Atsu further stated.