Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has released a provisional squad of 55 players for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco. The list includes Captain William Ekong, forward Victor Osimhen, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
Other notable selections comprise goalkeeper Maduka Okoye; defenders Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi; midfielders Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Raphael Onyedika; and forwards Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Simon Moses and Chidera Ejuke. Nigeria Premier Football League players Abdulrasheed Shehu, Ebenezer Harcourt, Ekeson Okorie, Chisom Orji and Adekunle Adeleke are also included.
Chelle is expected to finalise the squad to 28 players in the coming days. The Super Eagles are scheduled to arrive at a training camp in Egypt on 10th December and will play a series of friendly matches ahead of the tournament, which begins on 21st December.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group C alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
The provisional squad lists six goalkeepers, including Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania), Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy), Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC, Greece), Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus) and Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos).
The defensive contingent features William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia), Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England), Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic), Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany), Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England) and Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).
Midfield selections include Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England), Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium), Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace, England), Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy), Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel), Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa, Israel) and Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirligi SK, Turkey).
The forward line features Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey), Simon Moses (Paris FC, France), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain), Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain), Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia), Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain), Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic Glasgow, Scotland), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England), Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey), Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France), Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece), Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes), Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzen, Czech Republic), Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United), Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves), Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven, Belgium), Philip Otele (FC Basel, Switzerland), Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961, Croatia) and Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK, Austria).
The final squad will be confirmed shortly ahead of the Super Eagles’ departure for Morocco.
