Staff Reporter.
Nigeria’s hopes of securing a fourth Africa Cup of Nations crown suffered a blow on Wednesday as influential midfielder Wilfred Ndidi was ruled out of the tournament.
The 27-year-old Leicester City midfielder was named in the Super Eagles’ 25-man squad on 29 December but was absent from his club side’s win over Huddersfield Town on Monday.
Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf has been called up to replace Ndidi.
Nigeria are still hopeful Ndidi’s Leicester team-mate Kelechi Iheanacho will be able to join the squad.
Forward Iheanacho, 27, has missed the Foxes’ past two games in the Championship with a muscle problem.
Nigeria begin their Group A campaign against Equatorial Guinea on 14 January, and the West Africans will also face hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau in the group stage.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabili (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Olorunleke Ojo (Enyimba FC)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); William Troost-Ekong (PAOK Salonika, Greece); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)
Midfielders: Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Sivasspor K, Turkey); Victor Osimhen (Napoli SC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany).