Super Eagles: Chelle faces fresh Dele-Bashiru headache ahead of AFCON 2027 qualifers

Coach Eric Chelle the Super Eagles of Nigeria Photo by ImagoxNsidibe Akpan

Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle faces a fresh headache over midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru ahead of the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, Soccernet.ng reports.

​The 25-year-old midfielder has been a regular for Nigeria since Chelle took over as coach, whether as a starter or coming off the bench.

​He was expected to be called up to camp for Nigeria’s games during the upcoming international break. However, he suffered a thigh injury in Lazio’s first game of the season against Bologna, raising fears that he could be sidelined for a few weeks.

​He remained sidelined until Wednesday, when news broke that he could soon return to full training with his teammates and potentially make the bench for Lazio’s big Serie A clash against AC Milan this weekend. But that no longer appears to be the case.

🚨 Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is nearing full recovery, and the club is pushing for him to return to team training in time for Saturday’s #SerieA fixture against AC Milan :https://t.co/40w0eu1QVA

— Soccernet.ng (@soccernet_ng) September 10, 2026

Soccer ​Super Eagles: Why Dele-Bashiru’s Case Is Dicey

​According to Radio Sei Lazio, Dele-Bashiru is set to spend extra time on the sidelines due to his injury. As such, he will not be involved in Lazio’s clash against high-flying AC Milan this weekend.

​This is a big blow for manager Gennaro Gattuso, as Dele-Bashiru offers an impressive work rate in the middle of the park. Against a Milan side full of confidence after taking seven points from their first three games, his presence would have been key. Now, Lazio will have to manage without him.

​According to the report, the Super Eagles star may have to wait until after the international break before making his return, dealing a blow to Nigeria as well. With the international break two weeks away, he is unlikely to feature for the national team.

​Consequently, coach Chelle may have to look for other options in midfield. He is already without Tochukwu Nnadi, who is nursing a knee problem at Olympique de Marseille. With Dele-Bashiru now expected to miss out, other players could get an opportunity to break into the side.

Kelvin Omachonu

Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.