More worries for the handlers of the Super Eagles of Nigeria as star striker, Victor Osimhen, has tested positive for COVID-19 again.
The Napoli hitman had earlier contracted the virus last year when he travelled to Nigeria to celebrate his birthday.
Napoli announced on their official Twitter handle on Thursday that their star striker won’t return to Italy as he tested positive for COVID before boarding from Nigeria.
Osimhen has been included in the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s squad list for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) but was expected to return to Naples to assess his cheekbone injury on Friday, December 31.
Osimhen was ruled out for three months but had he received the green light from doctors, he could have played at the AFCON wearing a protective mask.
However, the swab test he underwent in Nigeria before boarding today came back positive, so the player didn’t leave his native country.
Napoli said doctor Gianpaolo Tartaro, the professor, who had performed the surgery last month, would check the player tomorrow.
Daily Trust had reported on Wednesday that Watford could prevent Emmanuel Dennis from taking part in the AFCON next month.
Dennis is one of Nigeria’s strikers who are in form at present.
Watford coach, Claudio Ranieri, had claimed on Wednesday that Nigeria had missed the deadline to call the striker up for the tournament.
Dennis, 24, was named in Nigeria’s 28-man AFCON squad on Boxing Day.
Dennis has been a revelation since joining Watford, scoring eight goals in the 2021/2022 Premier League season for Ranieri’s 17th-place side already.
He was due to meet up with the Nigeria squad after Watford’s Premier League clash with Tottenham on New Year’s Day but this is now not certain yet.
The AFCON starts on January 9 but Nigeria’s opening fixture at the tournament comes two days later against Egypt.
