Nigeria drops Osimhen, Dennis, Balogun from 2021 AFCON squad, calls up four others

Victor Osimhen, Emmanuel Dennis, Leon Balogun and Abdulahi Shehu have been dropped from the Super Eagles squad ahead of the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition scheduled to kick off in Cameroun from January 9.

The decision, as explained by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) follows injuries and health concerns over the players.

Osimhen, in particular, was reported to have tested positive for Covid-19 barely days after returning to physical training, even though, his participation for the tournament has been in doubt following a major injury copped while playing for his club, Napoli FC in Italy, which saw team doctors rule him out of action for three months.

NFF’s spokesperson, Ademola Olajire, made this known on Friday, adding that only the goalkeeping department is unchanged.

In their place four players have been called up.

They are: Venezia’s right back Tyrone Ebuehi, West Brom in England–based Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Greece-based Henry Onyekuru, and Czech Republic-based forward Peter Olayinka.

There has been massive opposition from European club sides for the release of key players to participate in Africa’s biggest fiesta.

For Osimhen, his Italian club side Napoli has for weeks been looking for every excuse in the book to prevent him from participating in Cameroun. First they claimed he has not sufficiently recovered from his cheekbone and collar injury.

Then on Thursday it announced that on arrival back in Italy, Oshimhen had tested positive for COVID-19.

It appears that decision gave the NFF the impression that Napoli was hell-bent on holding on to the striker, hence they dropped him.

“Lively forward Victor Osimhen’s positive test to the coronavirus pandemic a couple of days ago,” NFF spokesman Olajire opined.

“And injury to the versatile Abdullahi Shehu have constrained changes to Nigeria’s final 28-man list for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations starting in Cameroon next weekend.

“Osimhen’s absence paves way for Greece-based Henry Onyekuru who was also at the last finals in Egypt.”

For Dennis of Watford FC of England, NFF accused Watford of ‘baring fangs’ in their treatment of Dennis but Claudio Ranieri, the manager of the Premier League club, insisted talks between the team and the Super Eagles had been amicable.

“They have a lot of players, and they changed the manager then they change everything, and then we were ready,” Ranieri said Friday.

“We knew we were ready to give the players, but they didn’t do this. And then the two boards spoke and then for me it’s OK.”

The Italian added: “I am only the manager, only the coach, and I accept everything.”

NFF confirmed their squad on Friday, adding in a statement: “In-form rapid raider Emmanuel Dennis, whose English club Watford is baring fangs, has been excused to provide room for Czech Republic-based forward Peter Olayinka.”

Ranieri, however, was adamant Dennis had no qualms about the situation, saying: “I knew they were speaking, the board and Nigeria board, and I accept every decision they find, and that, for me, is finished.

“I’ve spoken with him, of course he wanted to go, to play, but he also wanted to help Watford. I accept the decision of the board and the Nigeria team.”

Meanwhile, the NFF has explained that its decision not to extend call-up to high-rising Leicester City forward, Ademola Lookman, was down to FIFA not having cleared the player to represent Nigeria at the senior level.

There had been reports that the 23-year old would be included in Nigeria’s AFCON 2022 party if the NFF was more committed and serious.

However, the football body in a statement via its Instagram handle said the process for his switch is ongoing.

“The NFF has stated categorically that Ademola Lookman of Leicester City FC OF England has not yet been cleared by World Football body, FIFA to represent Nigeria at International level. The process for his switch is ongoing.

“It is therefore incorrect for any medium to claim that interim Head Coach Austin Eguavoen is the one who axed the player from Nigeria’s final list of 28 for the Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.

“However, his name was included in the initial provisional list with the believe that the process would have been completed before the commencement of AFCON,” NFF said.

Lookman was a key member of England’s U-20 squad that won the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in Korea.

The revised squad for 2021 AFCON:

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia/CYP), John Noble (Enyimba), Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs/RSA), Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam/NED)

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC/TUR), Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes/SPA), Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), William Ekong (Watford/ENG), Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC/ITA), Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07/GER), Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia FC/ITA), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto/POR), Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates/RSA)

Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford/ENG), Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Rangers/SCO), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City/ENG), Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca/SPA)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk/TUR), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC/SPA), Henry Onyekuru (Olympiakos FC/GRE), Moses Simon (FC Nantes/FRA), Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria/SPA), Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin/GER), Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh/KSA), Alex Iwobi (Everton/ENG), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City/ENG), Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague/CZE)