Taiwo Awoniyi has been ruled out of Nigeria’s upcoming friendlies with Saudi Arabia and Mozambique.

Awoniyi is part of the 25 players listed for the encounters by Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro.

However, according to Nottingham Forest manager, Steve Cooper the forward is down with groin injury and will be out for at least four weeks.

This automatically rules him out of contention for the friendlies and Peseiro could be forced to name a replacement.

“It will be different,” Cooper explaining prior to Nottingham Forest’s game against Crystal Palace this weekend.

“He has been involved and been important for us. He picked up a groin injury in the last game that will probably rule him out for a month.

Awoniyi has scored three times this season and provided two assists in seven Premier League games for Forest this season.

He scored in Nigeria’s 6-0 crushing of Sao Tome and Principe last month.