TheCable

Barring any last-minute changes, Ahmed Musa and William Troost-Ekong will be in the Super Eagles provisional squad for the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON), sources in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have informed TheCable.

Musa and Troost-Ekong were left out of recent games undertaken by the Nigerian senior national team.

Musa has not played for the Super Eagles since the game against Guinea-Bissau in March 2023 while Ekong’s last game was against Portugal in November 2022.

According to the 40-player AFCON squad list seen by TheCable, Jose Peseiro, Super Eagles head coach, has called up six goalkeepers, 13 defenders, eight midfielders and 13 forwards.

Victor Osimhen, newly crowned African footballer of the year, was included alongside red-hot Victor Boniface, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze.

The list includes three goalkeepers from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL): Amas Obasogie of Bendel Insurance, Ojo Olorunleke of Enyimba and Sporting Lagos’ Christian Nwoke. The trio are the only home-based players in the squad. They will compete against Francis Uzoho, Stanley Nwabali and Adebayo Adeleye for the final spot on the team.

Kelechi Nwakali is a surprise addition to midfield alongside Alhassan Yusuf and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Wilfred Ndidi also made the list alongside Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Joe Aribo.

Peseiro is expected to chisel down the list to 27 players before the January 3, 2024, deadline.

MUSA: 2022 AFCON IS MY LAST

The Super Eagles captain had, in 2022, said the last AFCON would be his final African tournament for Nigeria.

Musa, who is the team’s most-capped player, had called on the Eagles to win the 33rd edition as a “parting gift”.

“I think this is my last AFCON in Shaa Allah,” Musa said.

“I have spoken to the boys that this is the only gift you can give to me, because this is my last AFCON. And the boys told me that they are ready. 

“My first AFCON was in South Africa in 2013 and we ended up winning it. And my second appearance was in Egypt and we won the bronze.”

The 34th edition of AFCON is billed to kick off on January 13, 2024, in Ivory Coast.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are in Group A alongside the hosts, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Nigeria will take on Equatorial Guinea in their opening game before facing Ivory Coast and rounding off the group stage with the Guinea-Bissau tie.