Heartbreak for Nigeria as Victor Osimhen Tests Positive for Covid-19 Ahead of AFCON

• Victor Osimhen has tested positive for Covid-19 as he returned to Italy for check up to his cheekbone injury
• The striker spent Christmas in Nigeria, but was billed to fly back to Naples for check up on his injury status
• The 23-year-old has been named in the Super Eagles squad for AFCON 2021, and this is a huge blow for Nigeria

Nigerian international Victor Osimhen who is in the Super Eagles' squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon has tested positive for Covid-19, Football.Italia reports.

The youngster who spent Christmas in Lagos was billed to return to Italy to assess his cheekbone injury on Friday, December 31.

There had been concerns over the player's health status having been ruled out for three months, following a successful surgery back in November.

What did Napoli say?

Complete Sports are reporting that the swab test underwent by the 23-year-old before boarding his flight returned he underwent in Nigeria before boarding on Thursday (today) came back positive, so the forward did not leave his native country.

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“SSC Napoli announces that the player Victor James Osimhen tested positive, asymptomatic, at Covid-19 during the execution of the swab before the trip to Italy, where a check-up by Prof. Tartaro was scheduled for tomorrow.

”Consequently, the local authorities have ordered the isolation of the player and the check-up will be rescheduled after the negativization and his return to the community.”

Osimhen had already tested positive for COVID one year ago, when he returned to Nigeria to celebrate his birthday.

Jonathan Akpoborie cautions Eguavoen over Osimhen

Meanwhile, a former Nigerian international, Jonathan Akpoborie, has sent strong message to the Super Eagles handler Augustine Eguavoen on how to handle Victor Osimhen at the Africa Cup of Nations.

AFCON 2021 is billed to kick off in Cameroon on January 9 and Osimhen who earlier suffered fractures to his cheek has declared his readiness to participate at the competition.

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And former Nigerian forward Jonathan Akpoborie has said the youngster must not be rushed to action.

Napoli surgeon speaks

Sports Brief earlier reported that Nigeria’s chances of having Victor Osimhen participate at the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations look bleak as Napoli surgeon Professor Gianpaolo Tartaro says only a miracle will see the striker participate.

But the surgeon who operated on the player in November insists that the player needs more time to rest before returning to action. Tartaro said:

“For the formation of the callus bone, according to world protocols, it takes from sixty to ninety days. Unless a biological miracle."