The president of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick has all but confirmed that Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia forward Odion Ighalo won’t be a part of the Super Eagles squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ighalo made the final 28 man list of the senior national team of Nigeria for the tournament but his Saudi Arabia side are claiming that he has a clause in his deal that forbids him from playing international football.
They insist if he goes to the tournament it will be in breach of the big money deal he signed with them. Overall his departure will hurt their chances of lifting the league title for the first time in their history.
Presently placed second on the league table, Ighalo is their top scorer with ten goals in 16 games this season. Their refusal has made many to ask the NFF to take the case to FIFA and compel them to release Ighalo particularly as he is keen on representing Nigeria.
According to Pinnick, that won’t be the case as it will cause bad blood between the player and the club.”We will not report Al Shabab to FIFA Over their refusal to release Odion Ighalo for AFCON because it won’t help the player” – The NFF President Amaju Pinnick says.
