Super Eagles striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, is set to miss next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
This follows a revelation by Nottingham Forest manager, Steve Cooper that the striker has had surgery and will spend months on the sidelines due to injury.
Awoniyi withdrew from Nigeria’s squad during the international break after aggravating an existing groin injury.
Cooper said: “It’s bad news on Taiwo. He’s had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months.
“We’ll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it’s a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him.
“He’s become an important player for us with the goals he’s scored and the goals he will score for us. He’s such a good guy and a good professional who is desperate to do well, so to get an injury like this is harsh on him.
“We’ve got to support him through the process of coming back stronger. He’s done that once before here and I’m sure he will give everything again like he did last time.
“You think about how well he did when he returned last season, I’m sure that’s given him a good reference point to come back to.
“We’ll definitely see him again this season, but it’s groin surgery so it will take a little while.”
