Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche has provided an update on defender Ola Aina, revealing that the Nigerian international is still some distance away from full recovery.
Aina has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury while on international duty with Nigeria in September. The setback has kept the 29-year-old out of Forest’s last 14 matches across all competitions.
He also missed Nigeria’s last four fixtures in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.
Despite being spotted in training this week—a development that sparked optimism among fans—Dyche says the former Chelsea full-back has not yet reached the stage required for a competitive return.
The coach explained that although Aina is progressing well, he is “not on grass yet,” indicating the defender is still working through rehabilitation phases and not involved in full outdoor sessions.
“Ola Aina is not on the grass with us yet; he’s still going to take a bit of time,” the Nottingham Forest boss told reporters at the pre-match press conference of the club’s UEFA Europa League clash against Malmo.
With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations set to kick off in Morocco in December, Aina is hoping to regain fitness in time to make Nigeria’s squad. However, Dyche insists Forest will not rush him back, prioritising a complete recovery over speed.
