Nigeria squad announcement : Chelsea & Arsenal products, Rangers trio, Dessers named in squad for friendlies

The Nigeria Football Federation have announced the Super Eagles expanded roster for the upcoming friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador holding in the United States of America.

An analysis of the squad list revealed that three goalkeepers, ten defenders, eight midfielders and nine strikers have been summoned for the games.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Leicester City star Kelechi Iheanacho, Racing Genk's Paul Onuachu and former Manchester United attacker Odion Ighalo are among the big players left out of the 30-man list

Chelsea product Ola Aina, ex-Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi, Rangers trio Calvin Bassey, Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo, Watford's William Troost-Ekong, Oghenekaro Etebo and Emmanuel Dennis have all  been included in the squad list.

Feyenoord striker Cyriel Dessers has been rewarded for his excellent season, earning a recall to the squad after more than eighteen months in the international wilderness.

Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf has received his first senior call-up and former Golden Eaglets captain Samson Tijani has returned to the fold.

Nigeria will take on Mexico at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, State of Texas on Saturday, 28th May, before flying to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on Thursday, 2nd June.

Yusuf, who is the Super Eagles first assistant coach, has included eight home–based professional players, including goalkeepers Adewale Adeyinka and Ojo Olorunleke, defender Ibrahim Buhari, and forwards Victor Mbaoma and Ishaq Rafiu in the squad.

Only 25 players will make the final list for the tour, which is preparatory to next month's 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone in Abuja (9th June) and São Tomé & Príncipe in Marrakech, Morocco (13th June).

Nigeria's 30-man  provisional squad for friendlies

Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands); Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Isa Ali (Remo Stars); Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ibrahim Buhari (Plateau United)

Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Chiamaka Madu (Rivers United); Babatunde Afeez Nosiru (Kwara United); Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey); Samson Tijani (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England); Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord FC, The Netherlands); Victor Mbaoma (Enyimba FC); Ishaq Rafiu (Rivers United)

Ifeanyi Emmanuel