Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic has lamented the absence of defender Semi Ajayi while wishing him the very best with Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, SportPremi reports.
The 32-year-old was included in the Super Eagles final 28-man squad for the tournament in Morocco and is set to play a key role for his side.
The defender joined the Tigers in the summer from West Bromwich Albion on an initial two-year deal and has immediately become an integral part of their squad.
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After missing the first few weeks of the campaign, the Super Eagles center-back has featured 12 times for his side in the English Championships, scoring once in the 2-1 win over Stoke City last month.
Semi Ajayi could miss up to seven games for the club, depending on Nigeria’s run at the tournament in Morocco.
Jakirovic’s men welcome Ajayi’s former club West Brom to the MKM Stadium later tomorrow, eyeing victory as they look to consolidate their spot in the playoff position.
The Tigers are currently six on the standings with 34 points, just a single point behind Preston in third spot, while West Brom are 16th on the standings with 28 points.
Everything Jakirovic said about Ajayi’s absence
Speaking in his prematch press duties ahead of Saturday’s clash against West Bromwich Albion, Sergej Jakirovic expressed disappointment over the absence of one of his key players.
However, the 48-year-old expressed confidence in the club’s squad depth and believes they can cope without major absentees in the squad.
“It’s a big headache for us, yes, and all the clubs that have players from Africa, but what can we do? This is the Africa Cup of Nations”, the manager remarked.
“For those players, this is like the European Championship. They represent their own country, and they are very proud. We are very proud because we have a national team player and we wish him all the very best.
We have Charlie Hughes, John Egan and Akin Famewo. We have Cathal McCarthy there, so there will be a lot of chances for them as well,” he continued.
How many matches could Semi Ajayi miss for Hull City?
Depending on Nigeria’s run at the 2025 African Cup of Nations tournament, Semi Ajayi could potentially miss up to seven matches for Hull City.
The 32-year-old will miss tomorrow’s clash with West Bromwich Albion and could also miss further league matches against Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Watford.
However, he could be back in contention to face Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup in January, or Southampton in the league on the 17th of next month.
