AfriPulse
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s wait for a return to action at Lazio has taken another turn, with his possible involvement at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) now weighing heavily on the club’s plans.
The Nigerian midfielder has not played since he picked up a hamstring injury in September during the heated Rome derby against AS Roma. That setback pushed him out of the squad list entirely. He has since recovered and is ready to play again, a timely boost for Lazio following Nicolo Rovella’s long-term injury.
However, Football Italia reported that the club is treading carefully because Dele-Bashiru is expected to join Nigeria for AFCON. According to the report, Lazio fears that updating the squad list now, only to adjust it again when he leaves for international duty, could cause what it described as “confusion”. A clearer decision on his role in the league is expected after the tournament.
The former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder has also been linked with a possible January move, adding another layer of uncertainty to his future at Lazio.
In another AFCON-related update, Nigerian-born defender Ime Okon has been named in South Africa’s provisional squad for the competition.
Okon features among the 54 players selected by head coach Hugo Broos, who will later cut the group down to 24. The 21-year-old who was born to a Nigerian father and a South African mother, has already made five appearances for Bafana Bafana.
The South African Football Association said the final squad will be unveiled “in the coming days”.
CAF has given every participating country a deadline of December 11 to submit their final AFCON squads.
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