Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has named Alhassan Yusuf, as replacement for injured Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi who has been ruled out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Yusuf, a 23-year-old midfielder who ply his trade with Royal Antwerp in the Belgium league is expected to join his teammates at their Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, camp on Wednesday.
Yusuf, who is making his first call-up to the Super Eagles was originally named in Peseiro’s Super Eagles’ 41-man provisional squad for the AFCON.
Yusuf will be partnering with Brentford star Frank Onyeka in the defensive midfield role.
Confirming the development, Peseiro announced this on the Super Eagles X (formerly Twitter) page on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Ndidi’s teammate at Leicester city, Kelechi Iheanacho, who is nursing a muscle injury is also doubtful for the 2023 AFCON.
Before his injury, Ndidi had featured for Nigeria at two AFCON finals and his experience would have played a key role for the Super Eagles in their quest for the fourth AFCON title, but Peseiro would have to make do without the Leicester City midfielder who got injured, before Leicester City’s 4-1 win against Huddersfield Town on New Year’s Day.
The Super Eagles will kick off their quest for a fourth AFCON title and will take on Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, 14th January 14 in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with host nation Cote d’Ivoire on January 18 and Guinea Bissau on January 22.
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