SAMUEL Chukwueze was the last player to arrive at the Super Eagles camp in Abuja as they prepare to head off to Cameroon for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Villarreal winger landed on Wednesday morning, hours after Glasgow Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo reported at the team’s training base on Tuesday night after their session at the Moshood Abiola Stadium main pitch.
Chuwueze and Aribo’s arrivals brought up the number of players in Abuja to 25, few hours before their departure for Cameroon.
The 25 players, along with interim head coach Austin Eguavoen and his technical crew, are scheduled to leave for Cameroon on Wednesday night.
Super Eagles media officer Femi Raji said they would head straight to Garoua via a chartered flight, with departure time set for 8pm.
The other players yet to arrive will meet the squad in Cameroon, although there are doubts over the availability of Odion Ighalo.
The Saudi Arabia-based striker is believed to be having problems securing his release from Al Shabab and he might not make it to Cameroon for his second AFCON after emerging as top scorer in 2019 in Egypt.
The 32-year-old, who incidentally came out of international retirement only recently, would be the third Super Eagles striker to miss the tournament if Al Shabab succeeded in holding on to him.
He would join Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis in withdrawing from the competition.
Osimhen is recovering from surgery on his fractured cheekbones, while Watford took advantage of a clerical error to cling on to Dennis.
Ighalo on his part reportedly has a clause in his Al Shabab contract forbidding him from going off for the AFCON.
Venezia right-back Tyrone Ebuehi and SC Padeborn left-back Jamilu Collins are the two players yet to join the team as at Wednesday morning.
The Super Eagles will play all their Group D matches at the 30,000-capacity Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua, starting on Tuesday against Egypt.
The Nigerians will then face Sudan four days later and Guinea Bissau on 19 January.
25 SUPER EAGLES PLAYERS IN CAMP
Goalkeepers:
Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)
Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain); Joseph Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Henry Onyekuru (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain).
EXPECTED
Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia FC, Italy); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Comments are closed.