Nigeria will be without several of their biggest stars for this month’s international friendlies against Poland and Portugal after Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle confirmed a wave of withdrawals involving Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and four other players.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Poland at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy Stadium on June 3 before taking on Portugal in Leiria on June 10 as Chelle continues preparations for future competitive assignments. However, the Nigerian coach will now travel with a heavily altered squad following fitness concerns, transfer uncertainty, visa complications and illness affecting multiple players.
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen headlines the list of absentees after being excused from the fixtures amid growing uncertainty surrounding his club future. Chelle confirmed the decision was taken to protect the forward during a crucial transfer period.
“There is perhaps a possibility of Victor Osimhen being transferred, so he won’t be with us during this international break,” Chelle explained.
The 27-year-old remains one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers following another prolific season in Turkey, where he helped Galatasaray secure domestic success after his record-breaking permanent transfer from Napoli. Reports in England, Italy and Turkey continue linking him with Arsenal, Chelsea and Juventus ahead of the summer window.
Ademola Lookman will also miss both friendlies after being advised to rest following an exhausting club campaign. Chelle revealed the decision was partly influenced by requests from the player’s club as Nigeria seek to carefully manage his workload ahead of next season.
Femi Azeez, who impressed during Nigeria’s Unity Cup triumph in London, has also been withdrawn after his club declined to release him for the remaining fixtures. The winger’s future is reportedly attracting growing transfer interest, with concerns over potential injuries influencing the decision.
Midfield duo Alhassan Yusuf and Samson Tijani will both miss the games because of visa problems preventing travel clearance for Poland and Portugal. Yusuf had emerged as one of Nigeria’s standout performers during the Unity Cup, scoring twice in the final against Jamaica.
Young midfielder Ebenezer Akinsanmiro also remains unavailable after illness ruled him out of the Unity Cup and continued to affect his recovery.
Despite the mounting absences, Chelle insists Nigeria will continue approaching both matches with maximum seriousness as he evaluates depth options within the squad.
The former Mali coach recently guided the Super Eagles to back-to-back Unity Cup success in London following a dominant 3-0 victory over Jamaica at The Valley.
With Osimhen, Lookman and several other established names unavailable, attention will now shift toward whether Nigeria’s emerging options can seize their opportunity on the international stage.
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