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The trouble days are far from over for Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye as he faces a tough next few months in his career, Soccernet.football reports.
Udinese have left Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye out of their squad for the second half of the 2024-25 Serie A season. This development further complicates the youngster’s immediate future at both club and international level.
The Italian club submitted their updated squad list following the January transfer window, and Okoye’s name was notably absent. The decision comes as Italian authorities continue investigating his alleged involvement in a betting scandal.
Reports in Italy suggest the Udine Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a probe into Okoye after a flagged bet linked to his yellow card in Udinese’s 2-1 victory over Lazio. The betting company Sisal raised concerns over a significant wager placed on Okoye receiving a booking, which materialized in the 64th minute when he was cautioned for time-wasting—a relatively early stage for such an infraction.
The scandal has now left Okoye sidelined for the remainder of the season, as Udinese opted against registering him for the league. This also means he is unlikely to feature for Nigeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe next month.
The 24-year-old has not played for Udinese since early December due to a wrist injury that required surgery. While he recently returned to full training, his potential comeback against Napoli this weekend has been ruled out following his exclusion from the squad.
Okoye’s omission is another setback in what has been a challenging season for the former Watford shot-stopper. With his playing time now in jeopardy, his chances of making Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers appear slim.
Okoye, who became Nigeria’s most expensive goalkeeper with his transfer from Sparta Rotterdam to Watford in 2023, is the Super Eagles’second choice goalie behind Chippa United’s Stanley Nwabali.
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