Tunisian club Esperance goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie also was recalled for Ghana’s run to the African Cup after returning from the injury that has sidelined for the last five months in addition to Belgium-based duo Seydou Kante and Marco Ne.

With such names recalled to the squad, the Ivorians look set on competing strongly for the Cup, especially with Chelsea striker Drogba in the starting line-up.

The Ivorian team are scheduled to commence their Dubai-based training camp on Saturday that will end only three days before their opener against Morocco in Cairo on January 21st.

Ivory Coast boss Henri Michel is expected to cut-down the squad to 23 before the tournament’s deadline next week.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Beveren), Gerard Gnanhouan (Montpellier), Jean-Jacques Tizie (Esperance)

Defenders: Arthur Boka (Racing Strasbourg), Guy Demel(Hamburg SV), Cyrille Domoraud (Creteil), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Seydou Kante (Beveren), Blaise Kossi Kouassi (Troyes), Abdoulaye Meite (Olympique Marseille), Kolo Toure (Arsenal), Marc Zoro (Messina)

Midfielders: Kanga Akale (AJ Auxerre), Abdoulaye Djire (Beveren), Emerse Fae (Nantes), Christian Koffi Ndri (Le Mans), Marco Ne (Beveren), Siaka Tiene (St Etienne), Gilles Yapi Yapo (Nantes), Gneri Yaya Toure (Olympiakos Piraeus), Didier Zokora (St Etienne)

Strikers: Aruna Dindane (Racing Lens), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Bonaventure Kalou (Paris St Germain), Arouna Kone (PSV Eindhoven), Bakary Kone (Nice), Kandia Traore (Le Havre).