Ten days to the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has been informed that Leicester City duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred have both suffered injuries and are major doubts for the tournament.
AFCON 2023 holds in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11.
The injuries to Iheanacho and Ndidi could spell bad news for the Eagles who are hoping to win the AFCON for the first time in 10 years.
The Eagles, who are drawn in Group A alongside hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau, have adopted the catch-phrase ‘Let’s Do It Again’ as they eye a fourth AFCON title in Ivory Coast.
Nigeria won the 1980 edition of the AFCON on home soil, before going on to win the 1994 and 2013 editions in Tunisia and South Africa respectively.
While Iheanacho missed Leicester’s game against Cardiff last Friday, Ndidi was in action as the Foxes recorded a 2-0 win away from home last December.
However, the two Nigerians were missing in action on New Year’s Day clash against Huddersfield.
Leicester Mercury, while quoting Leicester manager, Enzo Maresca, on Tuesday wrote that both Iheanacho and Ndidi were now serious doubts for the AFCON.
“Kele and Wilf are both injured, but they are now going to be with the international team,” Maresca said.
“We’ll see if they’re going to keep them or send them back. But they are both injured, unfortunately for us.”
The Nigeria Football Federation is yet to give any update as regards the injuries to the two players.
When contacted, Eagles media officer Babafemi Raji said, “There are no updates yet. We will push out info through our official channels when there are updates.”
Should both players not recover in time for the AFCON, it means Peseiro will be without three of his regular players, with Taiwo Awoniyi also ruled out due to a groin injury.
