Nigeria Coach Calls Up Man City Starlet Iheanacho, Arsenal Midfielder Iwobi, Chelsea Star Mikel, 23 Others For Friendlies

The interim coach of the Super Eagles, Salisu Yusuf, has called up 26 players for the upcoming friendlies against Mali and Luxembourg in Europe.

The national team will face Mali in France on May 27 then head to Luxembourg for Luxembourg - Nigeria which takes place five days later.

Of the 26 players invited, only one - Ikechukwu Ezenwa of Sunshine Stars- is based in the domestic championship but all the players have previous experience of representing the national team except Porto new kid on the block Chidozie Awaziem and Turkish-based stopper Musa Mohammed.

Gaziantepspor defender Gbenga Arokoyo, Brown Ideye (Olympiakos), Kingsley Madu(AS Trencin), Raheem Lawal (Osmanlispor FK) and William Troost Ekong (Haugesund) have all earned recalls following a string of fine performances for their European teams.

An analysis of the roster revealed that three goalkeepers, nine defenders, six midfielders and eight strikers have been included in the roster.

Nigeria Squad

Goalkeepers (3): Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars)

 Defenders (9): Abdullahi Shehu (Uniao da Madeira, Portugal); Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa SK, Turkey); Leon Balogun (Mainz 05, Germany); Gbenga Arokoyo (Gaziantepspor, Turkey); William Troost Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal)

 Midfielders (6): Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Wilfred Ndidi KRC Genk, Belgium); Raheem Lawal (Osmanlispor FK, Turkey); Etebo Oghenekaro (SC Farense, Portugal)

 Forwards(8): Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Victor Moses (West Ham United, England); Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor FK, Turkey); Aaron Samuel (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Olympiakos FC, Greece)

Igho Kingsley