Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has tested positive for coronavirus, his club, Napoli revealed on Thursday.
WuzupNigeria reports that the news comes 10 days to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
The club said, “Napoli has announced that Victor Osimhen has tested positive for Covid-19 but is asymptomatic. Dr. Tartaro was due to perform a check-up on the player tomorrow.
“Consequently, the local authorities have ordered that Osimhen self-isolate and the check-up will be rescheduled after he has tested negative and his period of isolation ends.”
Osimhen who recently turned 23 has endured a rollercoaster ride so far this 2021/22 football season.
The Nigerian began the season with a red card in Napoli’s 2-0 win over newly-promoted Venezia for supposedly punching Daan Heymans back in August.
He was handed a two-game ban by the Serie A, as well as a reported fine worth €5,000.
Regardless, Osimhen returned with a bang by netting seven goals in six appearances for Luciano Spalletti’s men in all competitions before clinching the Serie A Player of the Month for September.
The Nigerian maintained his fine form until he suffered a face injury in late November after a clash of heads with Inter defender Milan Skriniar.
He ended up having surgery on his face for fractures and had titanium implants placed in his cheekbone and eye socket.
As such he was initially ruled out for three months, casting doubts about his appearance in next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon which is scheduled to kick off in Cameroon on January 9.
The 23-year-old striker declared himself fit to travel to Cameroon and was named on Super Eagles interim manager, Augustine Eguavoen’s 28-man squad for the continental tournament.
“I will be available for AFCON unless if am not among the players picked to represent NIGERIA,” Osimhen said on Twitter.
However, recent reports suggest that the Naples club will stop Osimhen from featuring for Nigeria in the 2022 AFCON despite being called up to the Super Eagles camp as the training retreat starts today.
