Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, has invited six new players for the team’s friendly matches against Ivory Coast and Tunisia in Austria next month.
CSKA Moscow forward Chidera Ejuke, FC Midtjylland’s midfielder Frank Onyeka, former U-17 captain Samson Tijani, new Porto signing Zaidu Sanusi and SKF Sered goalkeeper, Matthew Yakubu, all got their first Eagles invite, while Cyril Dessers gets another call-up after he was called up for the initial 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra in March, which were suspended due to COVID-19.
Rohr however dropped first choice goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, who just recovered from the injury he sustained in the friendly against Brazil last October.
Also, the Franco-German shunned the home-based players including Heartland keeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who’s been a mainstay in the squad in recent years.
There was also no place for FC Koln 25-year-old right-back Kingsley Ehizibue, who was also called up for the botched AFCON qualifiers in March along with Dessers.
The Eagles will play the Ivoirians October 9 before slugging it out with Tunisia four days later.
The friendly games against the two African nations serve as preparations for the AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone, which are billed for November.
Meanwhile, top of the list of invited players are captain Ahmed Musa, the only player outside Europe in the squad, and other regulars William Troost-Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Osimhen and Kenneth Omeruo.
Others are Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Premier League new boys Semi Ajayi and Ola Aina.
Maduka Okoye, Matthew Yakubu and Dele Alampasu are the three goalkeepers who made the list.
Alampasu, who has a single cap for the Eagles, is making a return to the squad, while Tyronne Ebuehi, who has been out injured for two years, is among the five players placed on standby alongside Shehu Abdullahi, Josh Maja, Ramon Azeez and Henry Onyekuru.