Report reaching the desk of Africa Today News, New York has it that Royal Antwerp midfielder, Alhassan Yusuf has been called up to replace the injured Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi as the Super Eagles put in finishing touches for the preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Cote d’Ivoire.
Ndidi missed his team’s runaway Championship leaders Leicester City’s 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town earlier in the week due to an unspecified injury which came as a surprise to many Nigerian sports fans.
Team spokesman Babafemi Raji disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday where he said Ndidi has been replaced by 23-year-old Yusuf, who has been in good form with the Belgian champions.
Yusuf has yet to be capped by Nigeria but was named in the 40-man provisional squad for the Cup of Nations.
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Ndidi’s Leicester City teammate Kelechi Iheanacho said he hopes to shake off a muscle injury to be available for the competition, which is being hosted by Ivory Coast and kicks off on January 13 in Abidjan.
The three-time African champions are training in the United Arab Emirates ahead of the tournament.
They have been drawn in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
They face Equatorial Guinea in their opening match on January 14.
In the meantime, AC Milan winger, Samuel Chukwueze, and Chippa United’s goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali have arrived the Super Eagles camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, The PUNCH reports.
The arrival of the duo has seen the number of players in camp rise to 19.
The Eagles are in Abu Dhabi for a one-week training camp that until next Tuesday. They are expected to arrive in Lagos the same day, before heading to Abidjan Wednesday January 10.
According to the team’s media officer, Babafemi Raji, the team began their preparations for the AFCON tournament billed to hold from January 13 to February 11 on Wednesday evening.