Malmo midfielder Innocent Bonke is set to start on his debut for the Super Eagles in Cape Verde tomorrow after he has impressed in training.
A top team official informed SCORENigeria coach Gernot Rohr has been very impressed with the robust style of the defensive midfielder.
“Bonke could even have started against Liberia, but Rohr did not want to break the partnership of Ndidi and Aribo or Etebo,” the official revealed.
“He was the big bully in midfield in the Eagles training and the coach was very impressed.”
He will be a direct replacement for Leicester City star Wilfred Ndidi.
Rohr will be forced to make as many as seven players from the team who started against Liberia on Friday after the players based in the UK quit the squad to head back to their base.
Ola Aina, Leon Balogun, William Ekong, Ndidi, Joe Aribo, Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho all started against Liberia in Lagos, but will not be available no thanks to the Coronavirus protocol in the UK, which named Cape Verde on its Red List.
