Paul Onuachu will replace the Real Sociedad forward Sadiq Umar who has been ruled out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be held in Cote d’Ivoire.
Umar suffered a knee injury in Nigeria’s 2-0 loss to Guinea in a friendly game in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Hours after the development, the Super Eagles posted on their X handle, saying: “Sadiq Umar is out of the AFCON 2023 squad due to injury; Paul Onuachu replaces him.”
Onuachu had been named in the Super Eagles’ provisional 40-man squad for the AFCON but was dropped for the final 25-man list by Jose Peserio.
Umar is expected to return to Spain for treatment. He now joins the likes of Leicester City’s midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi and Bayern Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface on Nigeria’s injury list heading into the continental football competition.
Peserio’s men will kick start their campaign against Equatorial Guinea in their Group A game on Sunday, January 14th.
