Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes has moved to calm nerves over Abdul Fatawu Issahaku’s fitness, insisting the young winger will be in peak shape once the Championship resumes next weekend.
Fatawu has been left out of Ghana’s squad for the September international fixtures after conversations between Leicester’s medical staff and their Ghanaian counterparts. The decision was made to prioritise his recovery rather than risk him on an artificial surface in Chad, with the 21-year-old only just returning from a serious ACL injury sustained on international duty last November.
“We are trying to protect him. He is still coming back from this injury. The international break will be very good for him,” Cifuentes said to the media. “Since I arrived here, the progress on the minutes he’s playing and the way we are managing the training, he’s getting better and better. When we are back, I’m sure he’s going to be in an optimal condition.”
The winger briefly alarmed supporters when he had to be helped off the pitch during Leicester’s 2-0 victory over Birmingham City on Friday, but scans revealed only cramp, and he was seen celebrating with teammates after the final whistle.
Fatawu relishes scoring form, plays down injury fears after Leicester’s win over Birmingham
Meanwhile, right-back Hamza Choudhury faces a race against time to be fit for the clash with Oxford United after Bangladesh’s camp reported he had sustained a knock.
Cifuentes will be buoyed by the return of Bobby De Cordova-Reid to training, raising hopes the versatile forward could make his first appearance under the Spaniard. Long-term casualties Victor Kristiansen (knee) and Harry Souttar (Achilles) remain unavailable, though Souttar’s rehabilitation is progressing well, with a return to team training pencilled in for November.
