Peseiro calls up Manchester United target and Empoli defender to replace injured Awoniyi, Aina

Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has found solutions to cover the absences of injured Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming clashes against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nottingham Forest and the Nigerian national team suffered a significant injury blow as former Union Berlin striker Awoniyi will be sidelined for a month due to a groin injury.

On the other hand, his clubmate and compatriot Aina sustained an injury with an uncertain return date, making him unavailable for the upcoming friendly games.

To fill the void left by these injuries, Peseiro has called up Sadiq Umar, who has recently attracted interest from Manchester United, and Empoli defender Tyrone Ebuehi as replacements for the injured Forest duo.

Despite Umar’s goal drought this season since his return from a lengthy injury spell, the Portuguese tactician sees him as the best solution to replace Awoniyi in the lineup.

Ebuehi has been putting in impressive performances for Empoli, making him a suitable replacement for the sidelined Ola Aina.

While speculations from local media suggest that Bright Osayi-Samuel and KAA Gent’s Jordan Torunarigha may not be fully fit for the upcoming matches, Torunarigha’s recent appearance for Gent against KRC Genk has eased Peseiro’s concerns ahead of the clash against Saudi Arabia.

The matches between Nigeria, Mozambique, and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to take place in Portugal on October 13th and 16th, 2023.