Ola Aina Nears Return After Long Injury Layoff, Hands Forest a Timely Boost
Nigeria international Ola Aina is edging closer to a full return after spending months on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury, TalkTalk Nigeria reports.
Aina was spotted back on the grass at Nottingham Forest’s training ground on Thursday—the first time he has been seen in action since undergoing surgery in September.
The 29-year-old defender picked up the injury during Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matchday eight encounter against Bafana Bafana of South Africa, limping off just 10 minutes into the game.
Forest sources say Aina is expected to rejoin full team training in the coming days, pending medical clearance.
His imminent return is welcome news for the Tricky Trees, who have struggled to find rhythm and consistency in the opening stretch of the new Premier League season.
Opinion: Aina’s Return Could Be the Spark Forest Desperately Needs
In football, some players are more than just names on the team sheet—they are stabilizers, energy givers, and system shapers. Ola Aina fits that profile perfectly.
Forest have endured a difficult start to the season, often looking vulnerable in wide areas and lacking the defensive assurance Aina naturally brings. His versatility—whether playing right-back, left-back, or wing-back—gives any manager tactical flexibility. And on a team still searching for its identity, that flexibility might be the missing ingredient.
Beyond tactics, Aina brings something even more valuable: composure. He reads the game well, carries the ball intelligently, and rarely panics under pressure. Those qualities are often invisible, yet they transform how a team builds and defends.
His return won’t magically fix all of Forest’s problems—but it might restore balance, confidence, and structure. And for a club that has been craving stability since the start of the campaign, that could be a turning point.
Forest fans will be hoping this is the beginning of Aina’s full resurgence—and a shift in the club’s momentum.
