Empoli's Tyronne Ebuehi out of Nigeria's friendlies with Ghana, Mali

• Tyronne Ebuehi is set to miss Nigeria's forthcoming friendly clashes against Ghana and Mali after suffering a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.
• This disheartening news surfaced following an official declaration from his club, Empoli FC, in the aftermath of their Serie A showdown against Bologna FC 1909 last Friday.

During the match, the 28-year-old had to prematurely exit the field in the 66th minute, with his stead being taken by Ghanaian right-back Emmanuel Gyasi.

Ebuehi's struggles with fitness have been palpable since the onset of the year, having only recently recuperated from a hamstring injury that sidelined him until this month.

In stark contrast to his robust form at the beginning of the season, where he notably missed no games due to injury, Ebuehi's participation in just two Serie A fixtures since the start of 2024 underscores the fragility of his physical condition.

This development is a substantial setback for the Netherlands-born fullback, who undoubtedly harboured aspirations of reclaiming his spot in the Super Eagles lineup.

Throughout José Peseiro's tenure as coach, Ebuehi was mostly sidelined, featuring in merely two matches under the departed Portuguese tactician.

Regrettably, the Empoli FC stalwart now joins the ranks of Luton Town FC center-back, Gabriel Osho, another casualty among the players initially summoned for the forthcoming friendly encounters but forced to withdraw due to injuries.

With Nottingham Forest FC's Ola Aina also sidelined, the Super Eagles are suddenly short of options in the right-back role.

Fenerbahce SK's Bright Osayi-Samuel could jump up the pecking order as Nigeria's number right-back. At the same time, Boavista FC's Chidozie Awaziem can also be deployed to do a good job in that position.