Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi could be a major doubt for Nigeria’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after suffering a right adductor injury while playing for FC Porto, Footynaija.com reports.
Sanusi had to leave the pitch during the first half of Porto’s 3-0 victory over Academico de Viseu on Saturday after picking up the muscle problem. The Nigerian left-back was visibly struggling before eventually leaving the pitch with the help of Porto’s medical staff.
Porto have confirmed that Sanusi will undergo further diagnostic tests to determine the extent of the injury and how long he could be sidelined. However, the early signs are not particularly encouraging, with club manager Francesco Farioli admitting that the problem could be serious.
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“We’ll have to see both of them, it’s difficult to make predictions. Zaidu seems serious, Bednarek may have sprained his knee. We’ll have to see,” Farioli said after the game as revealed by O Jogo.
What this could mean for Super Eagles ahead of AFCON qualifiers
While Sanusi awaits further assessment, the timing of the setback could hardly be worse for Nigeria. The Super Eagles are set to begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September, with head coach Eric Chelle preparing for crucial encounters against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
Sanusi had only recently worked his way back into regular action after missing a significant portion of the previous seasons because of a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury. Therefore, this latest setback comes as another frustrating interruption for the 29-year-old amid strong competition on that left-hand-side of the Super Eagles defense.
Should Sanusi be unavailable for the September fixtures, Chelle will have to look elsewhere, with Bruno Onyemaechi certainly the most obvious replacement.
The Olympiacos defender has featured regularly for the Super Eagles and offers Chelle a natural option in the position, while Fulham defender Calvin Bassey could also be moved from central defence to the left flank if required.
Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina provides another versatile alternative, having previously operated on the left for both club and country despite being more accustomed to playing on the right.
There could also be an opportunity for a less familiar name. FC Alverca defender Isaac James has reportedly been on Chelle’s radar, and Sanusi’s absence could potentially accelerate the 21-year-old’s integration into the senior national team.
For now, however, Nigeria will wait for the results of Sanusi’s medical examinations before knowing the full extent of the damage. Both Farioli and Chelle will be hoping the Porto defender’s latest injury proves less serious than first feared.
