Leicester City boss Steve Cooper has confirmed that Wilfred Ndidi is fully fit and mentally prepared for their Premier League match against Southampton, following his challenging experience with the Nigeria national team in Libya.
Ndidi was part of the Super Eagles squad stranded at Al Abraq airport for over 20 hours ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya. The team’s flight was diverted to the airport, which is about 230km (143 miles) from their intended destination of Benghazi, leaving the players stuck at the terminal.
Frustrated by the delay, the Super Eagles eventually boycotted the match, which was scheduled for Tuesday evening. They returned to Nigeria and landed in Kano on Monday evening.
Foxes manager Steve Cooper confirmed that Ndidi is ready to return to action, stating, “He is fine – that’s the most important thing. He is back with us and safe and well. We were in close contact with him throughout the situation and he kept us updated.”
Cooper reassured fans that Ndidi’s mental well-being had not been affected by the incident. “Thankfully the situation got resolved. He was back with us soon after and has trained since. He is in a safe place and that includes the mental side of it as well.”
Ndidi is eager to move past the ordeal and focus on football. “He is more than happy to get back to business as usual. He trained yesterday and will train today and will be ready for the game at the weekend,” Cooper added.
Leicester City will face Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium as they look to build on their first win of the season, secured against Bournemouth before the international break. Cooper emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum.
“Pressure doesn’t mean negativity,” Cooper explained. “It’s exciting as it means you are striving for something and want to achieve something. We are motivated to create good days, striving to become the team we are going to be.”
“When we get it right, it will be exciting. We have to make it happen and we’re in control of that,” he concluded, expressing optimism ahead of the weekend fixture.