PHOTO CREDIT: Brighton & Hove Albion FC & Coventry City FC / PunchNG.com
Super Eagles Watch: Azeez Suffers Debut Delay at Brighton, Onyeka Returns for Coventry
Nigerian winger Femi Azeez will have to wait longer for his Brighton & Hove Albion debut, while fellow Super Eagles star Frank Onyeka has received a fitness boost at Coventry City.

Azeez has been ruled out of Brighton’s Premier League fixture against Leeds United at the Amex Stadium on Saturday due to a hamstring injury.

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler confirmed the 23-year-old picked up the knock on the opening day of the Championship season before completing his deadline-day switch from Millwall on a four-year deal until June 2030.
“Femi is obviously carrying a slight injury at the moment. I think Chema can definitely be an option for tomorrow. With Femi, we have to wait this weekend and hopefully he will be available for the next game,” Hurzeler said.
Despite the setback, Hurzeler praised the winger’s qualities, describing him as a hard worker with good decision-making in the final third who can score with both feet.

In contrast, there was positive news at Coventry where manager Frank Lampard confirmed Onyeka is back in contention after missing the Carabao Cup loss to Plymouth Argyle and the Premier League defeat to Hull City.
“He (Onyeka) is available for tomorrow,” Lampard said.
Onyeka has made only one Premier League appearance for Coventry this season, starting the opening-day defeat to Arsenal, but was instrumental last season with 14 Championship appearances after joining on loan from Brentford in January before making the move permanent.

The updates will be of keen interest to Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who is preparing for this month’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Azeez impressed at the 2026 Unity Cup, scoring twice on his debut against Zimbabwe and providing an assist in the final against Jamaica, and would become cap-tied to Nigeria if he features in either qualifier. Onyeka’s return also comes as a relief for Chelle following injuries to Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Tochukwu Nnadi.
SOURCE: Punch Newspapers