Fulham’s head coach, Marco Silva, has acknowledged the absence of Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey from his squad, as the duo represents Nigeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final. The last time Iwobi and Bassey played for Fulham was in December 2023, contributing to a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in a Premier League match at Craven Cottage.

Throughout the AFCON tournament, both players have played crucial roles in helping Nigeria reach the final, where they are set to face Ivory Coast. Bassey has started every game for the three-time African champions, while Iwobi was named among the substitutes on one occasion, both demonstrating their significance to the Super Eagles.

Speaking during a pre-match conference ahead of Fulham’s upcoming clash with Bournemouth, Silva expressed the team’s mixed feelings about missing these key players but conveyed their support for Iwobi and Bassey in the final on Sunday.

“We’ve been watching closely. It’s been a considerable period without these two key players for us. Currently, we are fully supporting them in the final,” Silva stated.

Assuming all goes as planned, Iwobi and Bassey are expected to be available for Fulham’s upcoming Premier League match against Aston Villa at Craven Cottage next Saturday. The duo joined Fulham in the previous summer and has collectively made 19 and 18 appearances for the club, respectively.