Izuchukwu Okosi
Cyreil Dessers Likely To Replace Nigerian Striker
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The Nigeria Football Federation has officially announced that Super Eagles returning striker Odion Ighalo will no longer be part of the team to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which starts this weekend in Cameroon.
Ighalo’s Saudi Arabian club Al Shabaab claimed that the email sent by the NFF for the release of the player came late thereby making it not mandatory to allow him represent Nigeria.
“(Ighalo) is no longer expected as a result of issues with his Saudi Arabian club,” the Nigeria Football Federation is quoted by The BBC in Thursday.
The 32-year-old strikers’ absence is a further blow for Nigeria who will be without three other high-profile European-based options who withdrew due to health or administrative reasons.
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen whose team played out a 1-1 draws against Juventus on Thursday night suffered a double-blow with Covid-19 and facial injury both ruling him out.
Watford refused to release Emmanuel Denis while Paul Onuachu of Belgium club Genk is out due to injury.
There are already unconfirmed reports that Dutch-based striker Cyriel Kolawole Dessers who has scored 10 goals in 27 games for Feneyoord this season is likely to be handed a late call-up.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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