Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has handed first senior invitations to 13 players as he continues to widen his options ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming international engagements.
The new players, drawn mainly from clubs in Europe and the Middle East, include defenders, midfielders, goalkeepers and forwards. Some have been selected for Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, while others are included in the squad for the international friendly against Russia.
Among those receiving their first senior invitation are Isaac James, Mubarak Suleiman, Moses Usor, George Ilenikhena, Peter Edokpolor, Umar Abubakar and Umar Abdullahi.
Isaac James, 22, plays for Portuguese club Alverca and can operate as a left-back, wing-back or left centre-back.
Mubarak Suleiman, 19, is an attacking midfielder with Czech side Slavia Prague and previously developed at the Right2Win Academy in Abuja.
Moses Usor, 24, is a winger for Austrian club LASK, while George Ilenikhena, 20, plays for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad after previously featuring for Monaco and Royal Antwerp.
Peter Edokpolor, 19, is a forward with Benfica, while Umar Abubakar and Umar Abdullahi are young forwards playing for Famalicão and Hradec Králové respectively.
Chelle’s decision to introduce new players comes as he works with separate squads for Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau and the subsequent friendly against Russia.
Nigeria will host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on September 25 before travelling to Guinea-Bissau for the second qualifier on September 29.
The Russia friendly is scheduled for October 6 and provides an opportunity for the coach to assess additional players who could become part of the Super Eagles’ senior setup.
The established names retained for the AFCON qualifiers include captain Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon and Stanley Nwabali.
The latest invitations therefore give Chelle a broader pool of players to assess as Nigeria prepares for its upcoming competitive and international fixtures.
