Nigeria have suffered a major setback ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as defender Felix Agu has been ruled out of the tournament.
The Werder Bremen full-back, who recently underwent surgery for a syndesmosis ligament injury, will not recover in time to feature in Morocco.
Agu sustained the injury during Bremen’s narrow 1–0 win over St. Pauli last month. Consequently, the 26-year-old missed Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying games against Lesotho and Benin Republic, leaving a gap in the Super Eagles’ defensive options.
Bremen confirm Agu’s return will be in the new year
Initially, club doctors expected the player to be out for just two months. However, Bremen’s head of professional football, Peter Niemeyer, has now confirmed that Agu’s recovery will extend into the new year.
“His return will definitely not take place until the new year,” Niemeyer stated, indicating the defender’s AFCON absence is certain.
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Born in Germany, Agu represented the country at youth level before switching allegiance to Nigeria. He has since made one appearance for the Super Eagles, with hopes of establishing himself further. Yet, this latest setback delays his chance to do so.
Although Nigeria boast strong defensive depth, Agu’s absence removes a versatile option on the flanks. As the countdown to AFCON 2025 continues, his recovery will be closely monitored — both by Werder Bremen and Nigeria’s technical crew.
Tags: Super Eagles, Felix Agu, syndesmosis, ligament injury, Werder Bremen, Peter Niemeyer.
