Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye will go under the knife in the coming days after suffering an injury on his right wrist.
The Serie A club confirmed over the weekend that the goalkeeper would miss their Monday trip to Monza.
“Maduka Okoye has torn the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist following a trauma. He will have surgery to repair the ligament in the next few days,” the club said via their website.
Although the club did not stipulate how long the goalkeeper is expected to be sidelined, it is feared that Okoye could be out for months as the injury takes between eight to 12 weeks or even eight months to heal depending on the severity.
Okoye last featured for Udinese in their 2-0 home defeat against Genoa last Monday, playing the entire duration of the game and also making three saves in the game.
The 25-year-old has been consistent for Udinese this season, featuring in 14 games and making 42 saves to rank among the top four goalkeepers in the Italian topflight.
Okoye’s revival is a remarkable tale of grit and determination. After enduring a tough spell at Watford, where he struggled for game time, the 25-year-old moved to Italy in search of a fresh start.
This also extends to the international stage. After a turbulent period marred by criticism following Nigeria’s early exit from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, he temporarily deactivated his social media accounts due to online abuse.
After a couple of call-ups, he returned to action recently in the 2-1 defeat to Rwanda in Uyo during the last game of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
His current injury however puts him in doubt for a return to the national team in March when the 2026 World Cup qualifiers will resume.
Credit: punchng.com
