Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has withdrawn from the Super Eagles 25-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins January 13 in Ivory Coast.
Leicester manager Enzo Maresca had on Monday hinted that Nigerian duo Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho were struggling with injuries, and added that he would be surprised if both players made Nigeria’s final list for the AFCON despite their injuries.
Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf has been named as Ndidi’s replacement.
Yusuf, who’s never played a game for the Super Eagles, has been at Antwerp since July 2021. This season, the 23-year-old has played 15 league games for the Belgian Pro League side, delivering two assists.
The Super Eagles- seeking a fourth Afcon crown and first since 2013- are in the same group with hosts Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, whom they open against on January 14.