Nigeria squad update : French-based midfielder called in as replacement for Ndidi

Published: March 20, 2022

Nigeria's interim manager Augustine Eguavoen has handed a late call-up to French-based midfielder Innocent Bonke as a replacement for Wilfred Ndidi, five days before the national team face off with regional rivals Ghana in a 2022 World Cup playoff.

Ndidi will miss both games against the Black Stars after suffering a knee injury during the second half of Leicester City's 2-1 loss to Rennes in a Europa Conference League round of 16 clash on Thursday.

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed at the pre-match press conference before the visit of Brentford that the worst case scenario would see the holding midfielder out of action for at least three weeks, effectively ruling him out of the back-to-back matches with Ghana.

Bonke has been in the international wilderness since coming off the bench against Central African Republic in a World Cup qualifier back in October 2021, his second cap for the national team having made his debut vs Cape Verde.

The former Malmo star has started each of the last seven matches played by Lorient in the French Ligue 1.

Bonke will compete with Joe Aribo, Oghenekaro Etebo and Frank Onyeka for one of the starting spots in midfield against Ghana.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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