Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho is facing uncertainty about his participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after sustaining a muscle injury. Iheanacho was absent from City’s recent 2-0 victory over Cardiff City, and manager Enzo Maresca revealed that the injury occurred just two days after the Boxing Day draw with Ipswich Town.
The severity of the injury is currently under assessment by the club’s medical staff. Maresca acknowledged that if the injury proves to be significant, the 25-year-old may not be able to travel to Ivory Coast to represent Nigeria in the AFCON, scheduled to begin in two weeks.
“Kelechi has a muscle problem from two days ago,” stated Maresca. “We are still waiting to see if it’s something important or a matter of days. But I don’t think he will be available for the next match. We don’t know yet if it will impact his AFCON participation. It depends on the injury. If it’s serious, he has no chance to go. If it’s not important, he can go.”
Despite being named in Nigeria’s 27-man provisional squad for the tournament, Iheanacho’s injury has raised concerns. Leicester City is expected to be without key players throughout January and potentially the first half of February, with Wilfred Ndidi also called up by Nigeria, and Patson Daka participating with Zambia. Losing Iheanacho would be a significant setback, considering his contribution of 10 goals across all competitions this season. The hope is that the injury is minor, allowing him to contribute to Nigeria’s pursuit of AFCON success.
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