WE have obtained additional details regarding the reported detention of former Black Stars midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to sources, the celebrated footballer is allegedly being held over a financial dispute involving a US$300,000 loan he reportedly obtained from an individual, with a promise to repay it with substantial interest.
Muntari is said to have defaulted on the repayment, leading to his detention in the Emirates for some months now.
Reports further indicate that the ex-Inter Milan, AC Milan and Portsmouth star has been facing financial difficulties in recent years.
Unconfirmed information suggests that several of his assets, particularly landed properties in East Legon – Accra, acquired during his playing days, have been sold or are currently for sale.
A luxurious apartment property inside Villaggio at Dzorwulu over the Tetteh Quashie overpass in Accra, where he resided, The Herald heard, was rented.
The whereabouts of his wife, Menaye Donkor, a Ghanaian businesswoman, entrepreneur, and former Miss Universe Ghana, and their two children are unknown.
The Herald on Wednesday broke the story of Muntari’s alleged detention in Dubai, sparking mixed reactions from former players and football administrators, including Yussif Chibsah, a former Black Stars player and current head of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG), and Samuel Anim Addo, a football agent and manager.
Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, Yussif Chibsah said there was no official confirmation of Muntari’s arrest but noted that efforts were being made to reach him and ascertain his situation.
“We’ve not received any confirmed report about Sulley Muntari’s arrest in Dubai, but we are still making efforts to contact him and understand what might be happening,” Chibsah said.
However, Samuel Anim Addo, a football manager and representative of former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan, dismissed the reports entirely, insisting that Muntari is safe and not under arrest.
In an official statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Anim Addo wrote, “Sulley Muntari is safe and currently residing in Dubai, where he is focused on his personal affairs and business activities.”
He described the circulating reports as “false” and urged media outlets that published them to issue retractions and apologies.
“Failure to do so,” he warned, “would result in legal action by Muntari’s lawyers.”
Anim Addo’s clarification, issued on behalf of Muntari, has since drawn widespread attention online, with many fans expressing relief at the news.
Meanwhile, Muntari himself, who was once very active on social media, has yet to comment publicly on the matter from Dubai.
The former Ghana international, who won the 2010 UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan, retired from active football in 2022 after an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades.
