Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr is hoping to call-up Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze for next month's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin and Lesotho.

Chukwueze is undergoing rehabilitation after surgery on a groin injury and although the Yellow Submarine have not offered a time frame on his return to action, the 2015 U17 World Cup winner is expected to spend at least one month on the sidelines, putting his participation for the AFCON qualifiers in doubt.

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has had his own share of injury problems this season but is in the frame to make his return against Brighton & Hove in the Emirates FA Cup on Wednesday.

Providing a fitness update on the Nigeria squad, Rohr told Super Eagles TV : "Some of them are injured unfortunately and we try to support them. Chukwueze had surgery last week, it went well in Munich, Germany.

"He had surgery on the groin so I hope he can be there end of March for the next games, we had other little injuries.

"Ndidi is still a little bit injured but I hope he can come back very soon and most of the others who were injured are coming back now like Kalu and Simon Moses.

"I am hopeful that we will have a difficult choice to do the list by the end of the month."

Three-time African champions Nigeria lead Group L of AFCON qualifying with eight points, one more than their next opponent Benin.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel