Super Eagles suffer big blow ahead of WCQ: Leicester City block Ndidi from joining Nigeria squad 

Allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively report that Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has withdrawn from the Nigeria squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe ahead of the squad announcement by the Nigeria Football Federation. 

As of now, the Nath Boys product is the fourth player in the Super Eagles' ideal starting lineup not available for selection in the back-to-back World Cup qualifiers, after Zaidu Sanusi (Porto), Victor Osimhen (Napoli) and Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan).

Osimhen and Chukwueze are recovering from hamstring injuries sustained at the Super Eagles training camp in Portugal this month, while Porto left-back Sanusi is nursing a muscle-related injury.

Ndidi had a scan before Leicester City's home game against Sunderland and was advised by the Foxes medical team to rest until a proper and detailed investigation was carried out. 

In the end, the Super Eagles number 4 was told by Leicester City's medics that he needed a few weeks to rest, including during the Fifa window in November 2023, effectively ruling him out of the World Cup qualifiers.

Nidid is also expected to sit out Leicester City's next two games in the Championship against Leeds United (Nov 3) and Middlesbrough (Nov 11) - having already missed back-to-back matches versus Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers. 

Super Eagles manager Jose Peseiro handed call-ups to midfielders Joe Aribo, Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for the internationals in October. 

The Portuguese football tactician is keeping tabs on Antwerp star Alhassan Yusuf with a view to handing the midfielder his debut next month. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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