Nigeria have suffered a blow ahead of the start of the Afcon 2023 after Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi withdrew from the squad due to an injury.

Ndidi missed the Foxes’ 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town on Monday due to an unspecified injury.

In a statement posted by Nigerian FA, the 27-year-old will not travel to Ivory Coast and has since been replaced by Belgian champions Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf.

Ndidi’s Leicester City teammate Kelechi Iheanacho is also carrying an injury but Nigeria hope to have him at the 2023 Afcon.

The Super Eagles, who are having a training camp in UAE, are in Group A alongside Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.

They face Equatorial Guinea in their opening match on January 14.