Ikeme, Mikel Eager to Return to Super Eagles

Nigerian internationals, Carl Ikeme and John Obi Mikel, have said that they are eager to return to the Nigerian national squad after being absent from recent games.

Both players sat out of the Super Eagles’ recent unexpected defeat by South Africa’s Bafana Bafana during a 2019 AFCON qualifying match.

Goalkeeper Ikeme has been sidelined for the past few weeks due to a hamstring injury. However, he is recovering well and has said that he is excited to start training with the national team again.

“It’s been slow and tough…I couldn’t play or train. It took more [time] than a normal hamstring injury…I have been working hard every day with the physios and hopefully, I’m closer to getting back to training [sic],” he told Nigerian reporters.

John Obi Mikel, who recently made a move from English Premier League champions, Chelsea, to Chinese club, Tianjin TEDA, was also sidelined for the past two months following an abdominal strain.

Tianjin TEDA has confirmed that Mikel will be back in action for the club within the next two weeks.

This means that Mikel will also be available for the Super Eagles’ 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Cameroon on 28 August.

Ikeme said that NIgeria’s upcoming qualifier against Cameroon will be tough. Cameroon won the 2017 African Cup of Nations against Egypt in February.

“Yes, they are a top side you know. It’s not going to be easy…they have played a lot together recently. They are in the Confederations Cup but we are confident going into the games…like I said, it’s not going to be easy,” he said.