FIFA to pay injured Uzoho’s wages as club begin search for new goalkeeper

World football governing the body, FIFA will be responsible for Francis Uzoho’s wages for the entirety of the time he will be out of action, as part of its compensation scheme to clubs whose players are injured during the international break, reports footballlive.ng.

Uzoho, 20, suffered a horrific injury that will sideline him for six months while playing for Nigeria in their international friendly clash with Brazil in Singapore on Sunday.

The Super Eagles medical team confirmed that the player would sit out of action for about six months, which means he might not play for the club again this season.

Nigeria’s friendly with Brazil was sanctioned by the world football governing body and also played on a date on the FIFA international match calendar. Both teams did not make more than six substitutions each.

So, under FIFA’s Club Protection Programme, clubs whose players suffer injuries while in action for their country are compensated and the maximum daily compensation has been set at €20,548.

The money will be the fixed salary that the club is supposed to pay the player for that period and the player must be sidelined for more than 28 days before a claim can be processed.

Omonia Nicosia is already in the market for a new goalkeeper following Uzoho’s injury.

Things got complicated for Omonia Nicosia after second-choice goalkeeper, Constantine Panayi also suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage while on duty for Cyprus against Russia in the Euro qualifier last Sunday.

The club confirmed the injury to the two goalkeepers on omonoianews.com and added that only the club’s third-choice goalkeeper, Charalambos Kyriakides, is fit ahead of this weekend’s Championship game against league leaders, Anorthosis at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium.

“The two goalkeepers of a team being injured in their national assignment, and even the same day, are something unprecedented.

“It is not only that Uzoho and Panayi were injured, but also that they suffered the worst damage they could possibly suffer, and logically we will not see them again in the season. The team is running to replace them ahead of Sunday’s game,” the website said.

The Club has been linked with 27-year-old Uruguayan, Salvador Ichazo and Brazilian Fabiano Ribeiro.

Salvador Ichazo, who last played club football for Torino, was a member of the Uruguayan under-17 side at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

Fabiano Ribeiro is said to be willing to end his Porto nightmare, after spending years as a back up in the Portuguese team.