Nigeria midfielder, Okechukwu Azubuike will spend a lengthy time on the sidelines as a result of injury, Reelradio.com.ng reports.
His Turkish club, Caykur Rizespor announced on their official website that the former U-23 Eagles captain has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Azubuike was injured in the friendly match played with Ümraniyespor at the camp, and was admitted to Acıbadem Maslak Hospital Orthopedics and Traumatology specialist Prof. Dr. Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and cartilage repair surgery was performed by Mehmet Emin Erdil.
Prof. Dr. Erdil; stated that the surgery was successful and the athlete will return to the field as soon as possible. The estimated return time of the football player to the fields is estimated as 6-9 months.
This bitter reality means football enthusiasts will not witness the former Bayelsa United defensive midfielder grace the pitch this year.
Azubuike joined Rizespor in January after ending his three-year association with Istanbul Basaksehir.
The 26-year-old has played for several Turkish clubs, including Sivasspor and Yeni Malatyaspor, but the highlight of his stay in the transcontinental country was winning the Super Lig with Basaksehir in 2020.
The combative midfielder won the Turkish Lig title with Istanbul Basaksehir in 2020.
