Birmingham coach provides update on Osayi-Samuel after withdrawal from Super Eagles WCQs squad

Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has confirmed that Bright Osayi-Samuel is nearing full fitness ahead of their Championship fixture against Hull City.

The Nigerian international picked up an injury just before the international break, forcing him to withdraw from the Super Eagles squad for key World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin. 

Osayi-Samuel's absence was a major setback for the Blues, who were already without several key players, including fellow full-back Ethan Benjamin Laird.

Davies expressed optimism over the defender’s recovery but stopped short of confirming his availability for the weekend fixture.

"Willum is getting close to training with the group, so he’s not far away. Marvin is not far away from training with the group. Bright is close but we’ll see how he goes," Davies said to The BBC.

Osayi-Samuel, who signed for Birmingham City in the summer as a free agent after a failed move to Turkish side Besiktas, has quickly established himself as an important player in Davies’ setup.

The former Queens Park Rangers star has impressed with his pace and defensive versatility as the Blues push for promotion back to the Premier League.

However, Davies’ remarks have created uncertainty surrounding the availability of the Super Eagles fullback against the Tigers at the St. Andrew's on Saturday.

Birmingham currently sit sixteenth in the Championship and will be keen to have Osayi-Samuel back as they look to strengthen their campaign for a promotion spot.

Adeyemi Adewale

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