Spalletti's first Italy squad: Nigeria handed boost as Tottenham Hotspur star Udogie left out 

Italy's new national team coach Luciano Spalletti has announced his first squad for the Azzurri's two upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying games against North Macedonia (9 September in Skopje) and Ukraine (12 September in Milan).

The former Napoli manager has named a 29-man roster comprising four goalkeepers, ten defenders, seven midfielders and eight strikers. 

The Nigeria Football Federation have been handed a boost in their pursuit of in-form Tottenham Hotspur left-back Destiny Udogie, with Spalletti opting to omit him from the players summoned. 

Ex-Italy coach Roberto Mancini had been keeping tabs on Udogie with a view to handing him his first call up to the senior national team but he's no more at the helm of affairs. 

Udogie has caught the eye in his first few games as a Tottenham Hotspur player, helping goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario keep back-to-back clean sheets in the Premier League, and registered his first goal involvement in English football last weekend at Bournemouth. 

A member of Italy's squad to the 2023 European U21 Championship, Udogie is still age-eligible for the age group and has been named in manager Carmine Nunziata's 26-man squad for U21 Euro qualifying matches against Latvia and Turkey. 

The door remains open for Udogie to represent Nigeria as he has yet to play a competitive game at senior level for his country of birth. 

Born in Verona, the 20-year-old qualifies to represent the Super Eagles through his Nigerian parents. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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