Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has confirmed that Ethiopian star player Abubeker Nassir is facing a career-threatening injury and will not return to full fitness anytime soon.
Nassir was once again a notable absentee in the Sundowns match-day squad against Orlando Pirates, where the game ended in a 1-1 uninspiring draw at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old has been spending too much time on the sidelines nursing an ankle injury that he picked up last season during a league game against Pirates.
Nassir collided with Bucs goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane and was stretchered off in the second half.
Since then, the Ethiopian international has not fully recovered, and this has led to Sundowns finding his possible replacement in Argentinian Matias Esquivel, who is not one of five registered foreign players at the club along with Lucas Ribeiro, Marcelo Allende, Junior Mendieta and Abdelmounaim Boutouil.
“I think with Nassir, the club will make an announcement, but he has a very difficult injury. It is a very complicated injury he sustained in the Pirates game in that duel against [Siyabonga] Mpontshane,” Mokwena said.
“He hasn’t recovered, he’s struggling to recover, which is a bit unfortunate. You know when you use the term career-threatening? That type of situation with Nassir is really career-threatening, and he needs all the support we can give him.
“He’s at a good club that looks after its players, and so he’s in the right place, and hopefully we will see him back sooner rather than later.”
Nasir joined the Brazilians in 2022 but remained on loan at Ethiopia Coffee for the duration of the season.
Meanwhile, Sundowns will now swiftly shift their attention to their Nedbank Cup clash against Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit NB La Masia at the Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday night.
