Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has called allegations he killed a friend in a ritual sacrifice "absurd".

The Ghanaian international has issued a statement denying rumours he was involved in the disappearance of two friends, rapper Castro and his girlfriend.

The couple went missing while on holiday with Gyan's family in July and were last seen riding jet skis.

There had been rumours that Castro's death was related to some sort of human sacrifice, which the Gyan family addressed and denied in a statement.

"What sells in the media, and what indeed sold and is still selling in the media in Ghana are wild allegations and rumours directed especially at Asamoah Gyan – ranging from the absurd – of the imputation of criminality to him in the sense that he either murdered Castro or had him kidnapped – and ending with the ludicrous – that he sacrificed him spiritually to enhance his career," the statement reads.

"Now, we take the opportunity and state without the slightest doubt in our minds that we are not blamable for the disappearance of Castro and Janet Bandu. We had no hand in that occurrence. We have no moral or legal culpability whatsoever."