The list of players who will defend the Unity Cup friendly tournament for Nigeria has been submitted to the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) by head coach Eric Chelle, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Chelle handed return to some players but largely handed first time call up to some players and fringe players were also given a chance in the team to impress the coach.

However one player who won’t be a part of the team is Blackburn Rovers right back Ryan Alebiosu who is due for surgery, and won’t be fit enough to be available for selection.

In his place Chelle handed a recall to Felix Agu of German side Werder Bremen, who made his debut for Nigeria at the tournament last year but missed out on selection for the AFCON due to injury.

He is now fully fit and returns to the team for the tournament, where Nigeria will open their defence against Zimbabwe and will hope to get a win which will see them face either of India or Jamaica, who will contest the other semi final.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has submitted the list of players that will represent Nigeria at the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in London, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria will be defending the tournament they won last year with their semi final clash against Zimbabwe, where the winner will face either India or Jamaica who will lock horns in the tournament’s other game.

Chelle already said he will use the tournament to blood in new players from lowly rated but competitive league in Europe, the Nigeria Premier Football League and also give game time to fringe players.

We can exclusively reveal that Millwall winger Femi Azeez who was voted in the Championship team of the season is among the new players, and contrary to claims made by Zadok Yohanna of Swedish side AIK he is in the team for the tournament.

There is also a first time invitation for Plymouth Argyle striker Owen Oseni. A shock inclusion which sources close to the coach initially denied but later made a u-turn on his inclusion.

The 22 year old ended the season with ten goals in 33 games in all competitions, but per what we gathered he was included in the team due to his physical attributes, which also includes his ability to use his pace and also press high up the pitch.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has submitted the list of players that will represent Nigeria at the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in London, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria will be defending the title they won last year with their semi final clash against Zimbabwe, where the winner will face either India or Jamaica who will lock horns in the tournament’s other game.

Chelle already said he will use the tournament to blood in new players from lowly rated but competitive league in Europe, the Nigeria Premier Football League and also give game time to fringe players.

We can exclusively reveal that Millwall winger Femi Azeez who was voted in the Championship team of the season is among the new players, and contrary to claims made by Zadok Yohanna of Swedish side AIK he is in the team for the tournament.

There is also a first time invitation for Plymouth Argyle striker Owen Oseni. A shock inclusion which sources close to the coach initially denied but later made a u-turn on his inclusion.

The 22 year old ended the season with ten goals in 33 games in all competitions, but per what we gathered he was included in the team due to his physical attributes, which also includes his ability to use his pace and also press high up the pitch.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has asked to be left out of the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in London, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Awoniyi was listed in the team for the tournament by head coach Eric Chelle after over a year without a call up to the team, however a source close to the forward revealed that he turned it down.

We exclusively gathered that the 28 year old who scored a brace against Chelsea on Monday in the English Premier League is due to have a minor surgery immediately the season ends in England, and it coincides with the period of the tournament.

Meanwhile Chelle has handed a recall to Terem Moffi who is on loan to FC Porto from French Ligue 1 side Nice for the tournament. Moffi missed out on selection for the AFCON after a row with fans of his club forced him to go into exile for months.

Also staging a comeback to the team is Bayer Leverkusen winger Nathan Tella, who recently signed a new deal at the German side and last played for the team almost a year ago at this same tournament.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Tolu Arokodare have not been included in the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in London, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Iheanacho was heavily in consideration for a return to the team largely due to a turnaround in his form at Scottish side Celtic, where he has four goals in his last three games, but head coach Eric Chelle decided otherwise.

Chelle we were made to believe handed the opportunity to two young players in Plymouth forward Owen Oseni and Rafiu Durosinmi of relegated Serie A side Pisa.

It’s the same for Arokodare, who has been in and out of the team of English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers lately. Chelle instead handed a recall to on loan Nice striker Terem Moffi who recently won the Portuguese league title with FC Porto.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Arsenal 19 year old defender cum midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly is one game away from equalling the record of Arsenal legend in former Nigeria international striker Kanu Nwankwo, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Yesterday the Lewis-Skelly played a big part in helping Arsenal progress to the final of the UEFA Champions League, his third start in the semi final of the tournament.

Last season he started both legs of the defeat to PSG at this stage, and yesterday brought him one step closer to equalling Kanu’s record which he set in the year 1995 and 1996 respectively, while at Dutch side Ajax

In the history of the UEFA Champions League only Iker Casillas and Nwankwo Kanu (both four) have started more Champions League semi-final games as a teenager than the young Arsenal man.

Considering that he will be 20 later this year, the chances of breaking the record doesn’t exist.

The English Premier League trio of Bournemouth, Sunderland and Fulham have stepped up their interest in signing Nigeria international midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru from Italian Serie A side Lazio, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The name Zadok Yohanna has been on the lips of many football faithfuls in Nigeria is AIK of Sweden winger Zadok Yohanna, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Plucked from Kaduna based academy Ikon Allah he has taken the league in Sweden by storm with eight goals contributions in the first 11 games of the season.

Beside his goals, the forward has also impressed with his ability to ghost past his marker with ease. So far he completes 8.85 dribbles per game, and showed his aerial ability with his goal last week.

As a matter of fact three of his eight goals contributions have come from headers, despite not being the tallest or the most physically imposing.

However the main quality that has caught the eyes of the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle is his technical ability, quick feet, aggressiveness and also ability to play inside the channel.

Although Chelle feels he is still raw but want to give him a chance, especially as it will aid his development and also help push teams like RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen who have been credited with an interest in signing him.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Getafe has confirmed the return of Nigeria international midfielder Uche Chrisantus after his failed loan stint in England with Crystal Palace, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chrisantus joined Palace in the summer on a loan deal with an obligation to buy if he makes certain number of appearances. He however failed to break into the team of Olivier Glasner.

His poor form also cost him a spot in the senior national team of Nigeria and according to the Sporting Director of Getafe, he will return to the club after failing to meet the criteria for a permanent deal.

”It’s a given [that Uche will return] because the player hasn’t met the required number of appearances; it is clear he is coming back,” Toni Muñoz was quoted as saying by Fichajes.

He is however expected to depart the team on a permanent deal in the summer with teams in Germany, France and Italy.

Daniel Martins

The chances of out of favour Nigeria international striker Tolu Arokodare returning to the team for the Unity Cup in London isn’t certain, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Arokodare raced into becoming the first choice partner for Victor Osimhen in the early days of Eric Chelle as coach of the team, but lost his spot in November to Jerome Akor of Sevilla.

He was dropped from the team to the AFCON, and even the subsequently friendly games against Iran and Jordan respectively. There were suggestions that he will return to the team for the Unity Cup later this month.

However per what we exclusively gathered, it is not certain if he will be in team with one source saying something happened in November during the world cup qualifiers playoff in Morocco that dented his relationship with Chelle.

He however refused to go into details of what happened, but said Chelle is in the best position to deal with it in the way that is best for the team and also the future.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman