Okoye set for surgery after wrist injury

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is set to undergo surgery in the coming days after sustaining a right wrist injury.

The Serie A club announced on Saturday that Okoye, 25, has torn the scapholunate ligament in his wrist following an incident in training. As a result, he will miss Monday’s match against Monza.

“Maduka Okoye has torn the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist following a trauma. He will have surgery to repair the ligament in the next few days,” the club said in a statement.

While Udinese did not specify a recovery timeline, similar injuries can sideline players for anywhere between eight weeks and eight months, depending on the severity.

Okoye last appeared in Udinese’s 2-0 loss to Genoa last Monday, completing the full 90 minutes and recording three saves. This season, he has been a key figure for the team, featuring in 14 matches and making 42 saves, ranking among the top four goalkeepers in Serie A.

His journey reflects resilience and determination. After a challenging stint at Watford, where he struggled for game time, Okoye sought a fresh start in Italy. He has since revived his club career while also working to re-establish himself on the international stage.

The goalkeeper faced significant criticism after Nigeria’s early exit from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, even temporarily deactivating his social media accounts due to online abuse. Despite a period of absence from the national team, Okoye recently returned to action during Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Rwanda in the final 2025 AFCON qualifiers in Uyo.

However, his current injury raises doubts about his availability for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers in March 2026.