Leicester City could lose a fifth player during the Africa Cup of Nations with Ademola Lookman close to switching allegiances to Nigeria.
City are already expecting to be without Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi (both Nigeria), Daniel Amartey (Ghana) and Papy Mendy (Senegal) for potentially more than a month in the new year as nations battle it out to be crowned African champions.
But City could see another player join the quartet at the tournament in Cameroon, with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) keen to get Lookman signed up.
The on-loan winger, who scored in City’s Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out win over Brighton in midweek, grew up in Wandsworth and has represented England at Under-21 level, but owing to his Nigerian parents he is also eligible to play for the Super Eagles.
Amaju Pinnick, president of the NFF, wrote on social media this week: “Ademola Lookman is excited about fighting for a shirt in the Super Eagles. He loves Nigeria. By His Grace we shall conclude the switch very soon.”
Pinnick was in Leicester to see two of Nigeria’s regulars in Ndidi and Iheanacho. Ndidi is currently out with a hamstring injury, and Pinnick is hoping he is fit for the November international break, when the Super Eagles play Liberia and Cape Verde in World Cup qualifying.
“Wilfred is recuperating from an injury that has kept him out for about five weeks,” Pinnick said.
