Maduka Okoye: Super Eagles and Udinese star to undergo surgery after serious wrist injury

Udinese have confirmed that Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye will undergo surgery following a serious injury to his right wrist, Soccernet.ng reports.

The club announced on Saturday that the 24-year-old suffered a torn scapholunate ligament, a critical structure in the wrist, during a recent match.

This injury will rule him out of their upcoming Serie A clash with Monza and potentially for much longer.

Medical professionals have recommended immediate surgical intervention to repair the ligament and restore wrist functionality.

While Udinese have not disclosed a specific recovery timeline, typical rehabilitation for such injuries ranges from eight to twelve weeks.

However, severe cases can require up to eight months of recovery, posing a significant challenge for both the player and the club.

Okoye has been a pivotal figure for Udinese this season, appearing in 14 matches and making 42 saves, ranking him among the top four goalkeepers in Serie A. His last outing came in a 2-0 defeat to Genoa, where he showed his ability with three crucial saves.

Okoye joined Udinese in 2023 after enduring limited opportunities at Watford.

Internationally, Okoye decided to represent three-time African champions Nigeria despite being eligible to feature for Germany.

The youngster was Nigeria's number-one goalkeeper at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He faced criticism following the Super Eagles's early exit at the competition. 

Okoye, however, returned to the national team during last month's 2-1 loss to Rwanda in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers in Uyo.