Anthony Nwakaeme has been ruled out of Trabzonspor’s upcoming match against Çaykur Rizespor on Saturday after sustaining his third injury of the season.
The Nigerian forward, who has struggled with fitness issues since rejoining the club, was diagnosed with a groin injury following last week’s clash against Fenerbahçe.
Nwakaeme’s injury troubles began early in the season. He first suffered a lower left muscle injury during training on August 21, which kept him out of four matches, including two UEFA Conference League ties against St. Gallen and league games against Eyüpspor and Beşiktaş.
After returning for the Kayserispor game on September 19, Nwakaeme appeared to be regaining his rhythm. However, another setback occurred in early October when he picked up an upper left muscle injury during training. This ruled him out of Trabzonspor’s matches against Hatayspor and Başakşehir.
Despite these challenges, Nwakaeme returned to action in late October, featuring in the league match against Göztepe. He followed that up with 89 minutes against Fenerbahçe, his longest outing this season. However, tests after the game confirmed a groin injury, forcing him to the sidelines once again.
Nwakaeme has played 449 minutes across 10 matches this season, a stark contrast to his first stint at Trabzonspor, where he was a key figure. Between 2018 and 2022, he scored 47 goals in 145 appearances and helped the team secure the 2021-2022 Super League title.
After a two-season spell with Al-Fayha in Saudi Arabia, Nwakaeme returned to Trabzonspor on a two-year deal as a free agent. The club will reportedly pay him €1.575 million annually, along with a €500,000 signing bonus.
Trabzonspor fans will be hoping for a swift recovery as the club looks to turn around the season which sees them sit 11th on the Super Lig table with only two wins from 10 games.
