Bright Osayi-Samuel has returned to Birmingham City training and is set to feature in Saturday’s Championship match against Stoke City. The right-back has been absent for the past seven games due to his participation with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite concerns after being substituted during Nigeria’s third-place playoff win over Egypt due to an injury, Osayi-Samuel has made a full recovery and is ready to rejoin the Blues squad.
“He is available,” confirmed manager Chris Davies. “There was a minor issue, but we’ve had it thoroughly checked and he trained today. It’s great news to have him back. Congratulations to him for his performances and for representing Nigeria so well in the tournament. Although they didn’t win, they made their country proud.”
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However, the Blues will continue to miss Jack Robinson, Demarai Gray, and Ethan Laird for the Stoke game. These three players are expected to return to training in a few weeks, likely targeting a comeback in February. Meanwhile, Alex Cochrane’s recovery is expected to take longer, with a return projected for the latter part of the season.
Speaking on the injury timeline, Davies added: “Demarai, Jack, and Ethan have different injuries, but they should start training around the same time. It will still take several weeks before they can get back on the pitch.”