Fifa to pay Uzoho's wages for the duration of the period when he remains out of action

GLOBAL football federation Fifa will play the club wages of Super eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho for the duration of the six months when he is expected to be out of action after picking up a serious knee injury over the weekend.

Uzoho, 20, ruptured his cruciate ligaments while playing for Nigeria against Brazil and is expected to be out of action for between six and nine months. He was stretchered off in the 65th minute after he landed awkwardly after coming for a corner and was replaced with debutant Maduka Okoye and subsequently given an MRI scan to determine the extent of his injury.

Omonia Nicosia, Uzoho's club where he is spending the 2019/20 season on loan from Deportivo de La Coruña, have confirmed that the goalkeeper has suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Fifa has agreed to pay the goalkeeper's wages during his spell on the sidelines.

Fifa recognises the Brazil/Nigeria friendly, as it was played on a date on their international match calendar and both teams did not field more than six substitutes each. Under Fifa’s Club Protection Programme, clubsides whose players suffer injuries while on international duty, are compensated and the maximum daily compensation has been set at €20,548.

This compensation payable is based solely on the fixed salary the club pays directly to the player, as his employer and the temporary total disablement suffered by the player, has to prevent him from representing his club for more than 28 days before a claim can be processed. Sadly for Uzoho, his injury comes at a time when he is finally getting his career back on track after suffering from a drop in form.