Nigeria defender Benjamin Fredrick begins rehab in England

Nigeria international Benjamin Frederick has commenced rehabilitation in England following a successful knee surgery.

The 20-year-old is sidelined for several weeks, ruling him out of the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, to be held in Morocco next month.

As confirmed by FCV Dender, the versatile defender suffered a knee injury and has returned to his parent club, Brentford, to begin rehabilitation

“Benjamin has suffered a knee injury. He is now beginning his rehabilitation in England at Brentford,” the club stated.

The 20-year-old defender had been a key figure for Nigeria, starting in the last six matches for the Super Eagles.

He was expected to play a pivotal role for the Super Eagles at AFCON 2025, but the injury will sideline him for the tournament, leaving a significant gap in the team’s defense. Meanwhile, the highly-rated defender will be hoping to make a swift return to action.

Fredrick, a former Nigerian youth international, made his senior debut during the Unity Cup in London and went on to feature consistently in the World Cup qualifiers.

He stole the show as Nigeria triumphed over Gabon to reach the final of the African World Cup playoff, where the Super Eagles fell short to DR Congo.