‘The club then asked me to wait’ - Lazio manager explains NFF’s discussion about Dele-Bashiru’s fitness ahead of AFCON

Dele-Bashiru has been out of action for two months with a long-term injury, causing him to miss Nigeria's last four matches, which included 2026 World Cup qualifiers. 

The midfielder has been absent for Lazio's last eight league games since sustaining the injury in September. 

The 24-year-old has only just returned to full training, casting doubt on his match fitness and readiness for the international tournament.

Speaking to the press before Lazio's recent league fixture, Sarri disclosed that he had been requested to delay a decision on the midfielder's return to play.

When questioned about any communication from the Nigerian Football Federation regarding Dele-Bashiru, Sarri, as quoted by Tuttomercatoweb, stated, "Yesterday, 24 hours before a crucial match for me, I didn't have many meetings; I was focused on the match. They asked me to wait two or three days, and that's fine."

The Lazio boss also commented on the player's physical condition, adding, "Dele could have been available, but he hasn't played in two months and could have played fifteen minutes at most."

Despite his return from injury, Dele-Bashiru was ultimately left out of the squad for Lazio's 2-0 home victory against Lecce on Sunday. 

Following the match, Sarri offered more details, revealing that the club's management had advised him to postpone the player's comeback.

"I decided to reinstate Dele-Bashiru on Friday, but the club then asked me to wait another week. We'll talk about it tomorrow," he explained.

As Nigeria finalises their squad for the AFCON, Dele-Bashiru will be keen to regain match fitness and make a compelling case for his inclusion.