Nigeria and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has undergone a successful surgery to repair his right wrist.
The injury sustained during a Serie A match against Genoa last week affected the scapholunate ligament in Okoye's right wrist.
The German-born goalkeeper, who made the switch to Udinese from Watford, has become a pivotal player for the team. Since December 30, 2023, he has featured in 36 of their 37 matches across all competitions, missing only one game.
His absence in the club's recent 2-1 victory over Monza was felt, but the focus now shifts to his recovery and eventual return to action.
When will Maduka Okoye return to action?
Imagine your wrist is like a hinge on a door. The ligaments are the strong bands that hold the hinge together, keeping the door stable. A wrist ligament tear is like damaging one of those bands. This can cause pain, and swelling and make it hard to move the wrist.
Minor tears might heal with rest, ice, and immobilization. More severe tears might require surgery to repair the ligament and restore stability to your wrist. In Okoye's case, it required surgery.
Rehabilitation from wrist ligament surgery typically takes upwards of six months, making Okoye's return unlikely before mid-2025.
This timeline suggests that the goalkeeper will miss a significant portion of Udinese's campaign, as well as crucial international fixtures.
While his absence creates a void for both club and country, Udinese are expected to rely on their backup options as they navigate the remainder of the season.
What it means for Nigeria's Super Eagles
Okoye’s injury also presents a significant challenge for the Super Eagles, as he will be unavailable for the pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria’s path to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico hangs in the balance after a disappointing start in Group C. The Super Eagles are winless in their first four matches, accumulating just three points from three draws and one loss.
Despite the grim statistics, Nigeria still have six matches to salvage their campaign.
However, if first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali were to be unavailable for any reason, Okoye's absence would add another layer of complexity to Nigeria's fading prospects.
