Mikel Names Five Most Experienced, Two 'Incredibly Talented' Players In Super Eagles AFCON Squad

John Obi Mikel has named Villarreal new kid on the block, Samuel Chukwueze as one of the 'incredibly talented' players in the Super Eagles squad to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 2.01 meters tall striker Paul Onuachu's name was also mentioned by the Chelsea legend among the two outstanding talents, and he has listed the five most experienced players in the squad, apart from himself.

Eleven players named to Nigeria's AFCON squad have less than 15 caps each but Mikel reckons it is a good blend of players with the experienced internationals in the team.

''There are incredibly talented players, I have seen them - Chukwueze, the tall striker Paul Onuachu. You can see there is a lot of energy in the team,'' Mikel said in an interview with the Super Eagles Media team. ''With the little bit of experience that we have, the likes of Ekong, Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Musa,who has been there for a while now, Abdullahi Shehu and me coupled with the youthfulness of the team, it has got a very nice blend to it.''

The Super Eagles captain went on to caution his teammates not to underrate any team at the Africa Cup of Nations.

''Hopefully it will work, we have to go to Egypt and play well, we have to go to Egypt and fight because it is going to be a fight, it is going to be difficult.

''If we can come out of the group, it is going to be good thing for us, so we can kick on from there. No group is easy, no team is easy. We have to look at it that way, let us don't undermine any team,'' Mikel added.

The 32-year-old Mikel will be playing in his fifth Africa Cup of Nations. In 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013, the central midfielder was part of the Nigeria squad for the tournaments in Egypt, Ghana, Angola and South Africa respectively.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel