Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo will not be hindered from participating in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, Southampton head coach Rusell Martin revealed on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old, who got the first goal for the Saints in their 5-0 mauling of Swansea at St. Mary’s Stadium on Boxing Day, was praised by Martin, who reiterated his stance of not stopping Aribo or any other African player from participating in the AFCON if they’re called up by their country.
“We can’t stop anyone,” Martin stated while talking to Daily Echo. “You want them to go there fit and come back fit.
“Joe needs to keep playing how he has been playing and I’m sure he will get into their squad. He has been a mainstay in their squad for quite a while. They go with everyone’s best wishes, as you want them to do well,” the 37-year-old manager added.
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Aribo, who got on the scoresheet for the first time for Southampton this season, was included in Jose Peseiro’s initial 40-man provisional squad for the AFCON.
Martin, a former Scotland international, added that he hopes Aribo enjoys an injury-free tournament before jokingly requesting the Nigerian midfielder’s national team jersey.
“Hopefully they stay injury-free, that’s the biggest thing,” the coach said. “Joe is incredibly proud to play for Nigeria.
“Every time he goes away a different member of staff asks him to bring one of his shirts back.
“I’ve asked him for his AFCON shirt for my son so he needs to get into the squad so he can bring a shirt back for him,” Martin added.
The AFCON 2023, which is slated for Ivory Coast, will kick off on January 13, 2024, and end on February 11, 2024, with Aribo set to miss about a month of action if Nigeria makes it all the way.
The Eagles have been drawn into Group C for the AFCON tournament, where they’ll face Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and hosts Ivory Coast as they begin their journey for a fourth title.
