Blackburn Rovers right-back Ryan Alebiosu has spoken candidly about a two-year injury crisis during his teenage years that cast serious doubt over his future as a professional footballer.

The Super Eagles defender was around 15 years old when pain in both knees left him unable to run or even walk without difficulty. For a youngster with ambitions of making it to the top, the situation was as frightening as it was baffling — doctors were unable to identify the cause of the problem for a prolonged period.