Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has selected two strong squads for the Unity Cup tournament and the friendly match against Russia, with regulars like Stanley Nwabali, Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina and Simon Moses included, and Ahmed Musa making a return.
However, key players including Victor Osimhen, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi are left out of the squads.
Chelle invited 25 players for the Unity Cup tournament in London, which will involve Ghana, Jamaica as well as Trinidad and Tobago.
“We’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October,” Chelle said, explaining why he included a number of Nigeria Premier Football League players in the Unity Cup houseparty.
Junior Harrison Nduka, captain of the CHAN-bound Super Eagles B and of NPFL champions Remo Stars, is in the squad, along with overseas-based Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi and Igoh Ogbu.
NPFL stars Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Sodiq Ismaila and Waliu Ojetoye, as well as Papa Daniel Mustapha, Saviour Isaac and Collins Ugwueze are also in the squad.
Musa, Adamu Abubakar and Sikiru Alimi are the NPFL stars in attack for the Unity Cup, with Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella, Tolu Arokodare and Kelechi Iheanacho also included.
The Unity Cup will be staged at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, London from May 27 to May 31.
The tournament will kick off with the first semi-final on May 27 as Trinidad & Tobago face Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on United Kingdom soil.
The following day, three-time African champions Nigeria will take on four-time African champions Ghana in the second semi-final.
All four teams will return on May 31, with the losers of the semi-final fixtures featuring in the third-place match, before the final to determine the Unity Cup 2025 champions.
For the friendly with Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow on Friday, June 6, Chelle has picked 21 players, with captain William Troost-Ekong, fellow defenders Ola Aina and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar joining a number of picks from the Unity Cup squad.
SUPER EAGLES FOR UNITY CUP TOURNAMENT:
Goalkeepers:
Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)
Defenders:
Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Junior Harrison Nduka (Remo Stars); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers); Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Waliu Ojetoye (Ikorodu City)
Midfielders:
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Collins Ugwueze (Enugu Rangers)
Forwards:
Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Sikiru Alimi (Remo Stars); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars); Adamu Abubakar (Plateau United)
Available for training only: Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany)
SUPER EAGLES FOR RUSSIA FRIENDLY:
Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania)
Defenders:
William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic)
Midfielders:
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards:
Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Sadiq Umar (Valencia CF, Spain)
