Peseiro makes honest admission about chances of Ekong being named in AFCONQ squad 

Jose Peseiro has admitted that the chances of William Troost-Ekong being called up for Nigeria's upcoming games are very slim. 

Having played in the second-tier of English football in the first half of the season, the central defender wanted to take his football to another level and joined Salernitana on loan with an option to buy in the January transfer window. 

Troost-Ekong was battling for consistency at Watford, starting just two out of a possible seven games before his move to Salernitana.

He found himself catapulted into Salernitana's starting lineup with consecutive appearances against Lecce, Juventus and Hellas Verona, only for him to suffer a knee injury that has sidelined him for 26 days and counting. 

Although Troost-Ekong has resumed individual training, the games against Guinea-Bissau may come too soon for him, Peseiro has hinted.  

"He's our captain. I know he really wanted to go and play there, he told me often. I'm in contact with the trainers and technicians of the Nigerian players: those of Ekong told me that he is working hard, even if there are not great possibilities of bringing him with us in the next matches. My friend Paulo Sousa also confirmed this to me," Peseiro said to Sportitalia.

Peseiro will be scratching his head over the central defenders to be named on his roster for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Guinea-Bissau. 

Leon Balogun has not played at all since November 2022, Kenneth Omeruo has been inactive for more than six weeks, and
 Hajduk Split's Chidozie Awaziem has been out of form, to say the least. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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