AFCON squad : Eguavoen names the two players in line to replace Ighalo before CAF's disapproval

Nigeria's caretaker manager Augustine Eguavoen has confirmed an exclusive report by allnigeriasoccer.com that Feyenoord striker Cyriel Dessers was not a player of interest for the Africa Cup of Nations after revealing that Hammarby winger Akinkunmi Amoo and Nasarawa United striker Silas Nwankwo were in contention to replace Odion Ighalo in the Africa Cup of Nations squad.

However, a request by the Nigeria Football Federation to modify the list again was not approved by the Confederation of African Football with the rulebook stating that associations can only replace players who get injured or ill before their first match of the tournament.

Allnigeriasoccer.com can report with certainty that Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Shehu Dikko had been pushing for Amoo to be included on the roster and he almost had his way if not for the CAF rule.

Al-Shabab have insisted that Ighalo was not released to the Nigeria Football Federation because his letter of invitation did not reach the club within the period specified by world governing body FIFA for receiving players' call-up letters.

Asked if he has spoken to Ighalo, Eguaoven told NFF TV on Thursday evening : "Yes. We spoke, we exchanged text messages and from his response he's doing everything possible to come and I thought of replacing him, I gave a deadline.

"I tried to bring in either the boy from Nasarawa United, Silas Nwankwo. He's a good player no doubt because he is a striker and also Akinkunmi Amoo but he's not a striker but again he can play off strikers.

"I thought of replacing Ighalo with any of them but what they are saying CAF is only based on injury, health reasons, that's the only way you can replace players so that's the only reason holding us back but the Federation is putting in all efforts, the young man Odion is also doing his best from there, hopefully we get a positive answer."

Amoo was the X-factor player in the Golden Eaglets squad to the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil and had an outstanding season with Hammarby.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel