Ighalo to miss out on AFCON

Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be without striker Odion Ighalo at the Africa Cup of Nations after his Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab refused to release him for the tournament in Cameroon, which starts on Sunday.

The 32-year-old, who was top scorer at the last Nations Cup in 2019, was initially given a deadline of Tuesday to confirm his availability by interim Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen.

However, Ighalo was not part of the squad that landed in Garoua on Wednesday night and a statement from the Nigeria Football Federation said he “is no longer expected as a result of issues with his Saudi Arabian club”.

Al Shabab objected to Ighalo’s involvement and reiterated that NFF missed the official deadline to call up the player.

The Riyad club official Majid Al-Marzouki told Al Arabiya’s In the Goal TV program that Ighalo’s letter of invitation did not reach the club within the period specified by world governing body Fifa for receiving players’ call-up letters.

“The Fifa Player Status Regulations stipulates that the federation must notify the player and his club in writing of his summons 15 days before the start of the tournament, and it is advised to send a copy to the local federation of the club as well, which did not happen,” Al-Marzouki said.

“Accordingly the coach [Pericles Chamusca] told us that the player will stay with us and will not join the Nigerian team.

“There are no negotiations between us and the Nigerian federation, and the player is committed to the decision. The situation is settled.”

Ighalo currently leads the Saudi Pro League goalscoring chart with 11 goals.