By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has delivered a positive update on Ola Aina’s rehabilitation, confirming that the Nigerian defender is “making good progress” following a hamstring injury.
Aina sustained the injury during Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in the September international window — a setback that later required surgery and ruled him out for an extended period.
Early assessments indicated the 26-year-old could be sidelined for up to three months, putting his availability for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in serious doubt.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Dyche assured supporters that Aina’s recovery is on track and that the defender has responded well to treatment.
“I’ve made a note of them because we’ve got a couple of knocks,” Dyche said.
“Ola [Aina] is making good progress. Zinchenko is a no at the moment, unfortunately, and it’s going to be a bit longer than we thought.
“We’re hoping no more occur, that’s for sure. A few knocks, but nothing too serious at the moment.”
Although there is no confirmed date for Aina’s return to competitive action, the early signs from the medical team have been encouraging, suggesting he could be back sooner than initially expected.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
