Ola Aina has been ruled out until December after sustaining a hamstring injury.
The defender was forced off in the 10th minute during Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against South Africa, with the poor state of the Free State Stadium pitch believed to have contributed to the setback.
Injuries have been a recurring challenge for Aina, who has previously struggled with muscle and knee problems.
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Over the course of his career, he has missed 39 matches for both club and country due to fitness issues.
The timing of this latest setback is particularly unfortunate.
Aina had started all three of Nottingham Forest’s games this season and featured 37 times last campaign, proving himself a reliable option across multiple roles, including right-back, right wing-back, and right midfield.
New Forest head coach Ange Postecoglou is keen to assess his squad, and Aina’s versatility would have made him a valuable asset.
With the 28-year-old sidelined, Nicolo Savona is expected to step in as the only natural right-back available.
A string of strong performances from Savona could increase competition for Aina once he returns, potentially making it difficult for him to immediately reclaim his place in Postecoglou’s plans.
For Nigeria, Aina’s absence is another blow ahead of their decisive World Cup qualifiers next month against Lesotho and Benin Republic.
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