As widely expected, Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro has been forced to drop injured Leicester City’s midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi from his 25-man list earlier submitted to CAF for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
Leicester manager, Enzo Maresca hinted on Monday that that Nigerian duo of Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho were struggling with injuries, adding he would be surprised if both player make Nigeria’s final list for the AFCON despite their injuries.
“Kelechi [Iheanacho] and Wilfred [Ndidi] are both currently injured, but they are going to go with the international team, we will see if Nigeria want to include them or send them back as I said, they both have an injury at the moment,” the Italian said after the Foxes beat Huddersfield Town 4-1 at King Power Stadium on Monday.
But SCORENigeria claimed last night the Super Eagles will be at the 2023 AFCON without Wilfred Ndidi due to injury while Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf has been drafted as a late replacement.
Both coach Jose Peseiro as well as the team administrator have reportedly contacted Alhassan Yusuf to report to the AFCON training camp.
Further checks by our correspondent revealed that the Super Eagles coach who is already in the UAE along with some of backroom staff, may also be forced to call on Nice striker Terem Moffi should Iheanacho remains unfit as the national team opens camp in Abu Dhabi.
All 24 teams for the AFCON will submit to CAF a final squad today but have till January 10 to make changes in the event of injury.
Meanwhile a delegation of players and officials reportedly flew out of Abuja yesterday to the Super Eagles training camp via Cairo, Egypt aboard Egypt Air.
Captain Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo and Olorunleke Ojo were the players who flew out from Abuja, while some others took off from Lagos.
Already, Peseiro in company of his assistants, on Tuesday landed in UAE ahead of the invited players as preparation begins in earnest for the AFCON 2023.
The Super Eagles are drawn in the same Group A along with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
