Dele-Bashiru: Will mercurial midfielder be fit & ready for AFCON?

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s return has taken another pause as Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri provided fresh detail on the midfielder’s situation ahead of AFCON 2025. The Super Eagles playmaker has missed two months of action and Nigeria’s entire World Cup playoff run, raising real concerns about his readiness for the continental tournament in Morocco.

The 24-year-old only rejoined full training recently, but Lazio have kept him out of matchday squads as they manage his recovery.

His absence extended through the weekend, with the midfielder missing Lazio’s 2-0 win over Lecce despite training all week. Sarri hinted that the delay was not entirely his doing, revealing there had already been communication from Nigeria regarding the player’s availability.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb, Sarri said: “They asked me to wait two or three days, and that’s fine. Dele could have been available, but he hasn’t played in two months and could have played fifteen minutes at most.”

Nigeria wait as Lazio slow down Dele-Bashiru comeback

After the Lecce match, Sarri expanded on the issue, explaining that he initially intended to name Dele-Bashiru in his squad but was told to hold off a little longer.

“I decided to reinstate Dele-Bashiru on Friday, but the club then asked me to wait another week. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” He told reporters in Rome.

That decision means the midfielder has now missed eight straight Serie A fixtures since suffering the injury in September. With AFCON approaching rapidly and Eric Chelle’s provisional squad submitted but not yet made public, the timing is delicate. Nigeria rate his ball-carrying and creativity, but match fitness, not talent will determine whether he makes the final group headed to Morocco.

If Lazio ease him back into action in the coming days, Dele-Bashiru will still have a narrow window to prove sharpness. If the delay stretches any further, Chelle may be forced into a difficult call on one of his brightest midfield options.