Super Eagles' midfielder Frank Onyeka will miss the friendly against the Eagles of Mali due to injury.
The Brentford man was an influential presence during Nigeria's 2-1 friendly win against the Black Stars of Ghana in Marrakech last Friday. However, following the encounter, he has left the Super Eagles' camp due to injury, and will now miss Tuesday's match against Mali.
He becomes the latest Super Eagle to withdraw from the game after Calvin Bassey did so a few days ago. Nigeria is already missing Victor Osimhen, Taiwo Awoniyi, Gabriel Osho, and Tyronne Ebuehi.
The 26-year-old's absence will be a significant blow to the Super Eagles, as he has become an important player in the team's setup.
Onyeka was a constant presence in the Nigerian midfield during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) and played a crucial role in Nigeria's second-place finish.
Onyeka has reportedly returned to England for further medical treatment on the injury.
Onyedika to step in for Onyeka in the Super Eagles' midfield?
Nigeria's interim manager Finidi George will have a selection headache filling the void left by Onyeka. This is because the Super Eagles are blessed with enormous talents who can fill the gap with ease.
The likes of Club Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika, Hatayspor’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and Antwerp’s Alhassan Yusuf and Alex Iwobi are all available for selection.
There are suggestions that Finidi could pair Onyedika with Wilfired Ndidi in Nigeria's midfield in Tuesday's encounter.
The 22-year-old has quickly established himself as one of Europe's hottest prospects, courtesy of some encouraging laced performances for the Belgian outfit.
His performances have attracted interest from top European clubs such as Barcelona and Galatasaray. Onyedika would love to seize the opportunity to cement his place in the Super Eagles team.
Interestingly, Onyedika made his Super Eagles debut by replacing Onyeka in Nigeria's 2-1 loss to Algeria in an international friendly on September 27, 2022.
Onyedika was a member of the Jose Peseiro's squad that represented Nigeria at the last AFCON. He was the youngest player in the squad but scarcely featured for Nigeria in the tournament, only managing to come on as a late substitute in a 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau in the group phase.
Will Iwobi return to a deeper role?
If Finidi decides not to play Onyedika, he can rely on Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi to fill the void left by Onyeka. Iwobi was handed a similar role by Peseiro at the last AFCON.
There were mixed reactions regarding the 27-year-old's effectiveness as a defensive midfielder, leading to him being criticised by fans of the Super Eagles after their loss to Ivory Coast in the finals.
Iwobi has been very impressive for his club since returning from international duty, and he replicated the same level of performance during Nigeria's victory over Ghana last Friday.
