Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has confirmed that star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will not feature in the Super Eagles’ upcoming international friendlies against Poland and Portugal.
The announcement came shortly after Nigeria secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Jamaica in the Unity Cup final, with Chelle providing an update on his squad plans for the June international window.
Osimhen remains one of Nigeria’s most influential players. The striker enjoyed another productive campaign at club level and continues to attract interest from several major European sides ahead of the summer transfer window. His absence leaves the Super Eagles without one of their most reliable goalscorers as they prepare for two challenging away fixtures.
Lookman has also been a vital figure for Nigeria in recent months. The attacker played a significant role for both club and country during a demanding season. According to Chelle, the former African Player of the Year has been granted time to recover after an intense schedule.
Speaking after the Unity Cup triumph, Chelle admitted that squad selection has become more difficult because several players are dealing with fitness concerns or inconsistent form.
“For now, we have two games, Poland and Portugal and I have a lot of problems because some players don’t have a decent form.”
The coach then explained why Osimhen would not be involved.
“Tijani, Yusuf, the most important, we will miss two players because Victor Osimhen, he might have to change a club. I prefer for him to stay in his house because if you play, you are not one hundred percent.”
Chelle also revealed that Lookman has been excused from the squad following discussions regarding the player’s workload.
“Lookman is very tired and Atletico asked us to let him. We will travel with 18 players and we will see what happens in Poland and Portugal.”
Despite missing two of his biggest stars, the Super Eagles coach remains optimistic ahead of the friendlies. He stressed that Nigeria will compete aggressively against both opponents.
“We will definitely make a fight, if we win we win, if we lose we lose. But if we lose, they have to work on us, they have to beat us.”
Looking ahead, Chelle acknowledged the quality of both nations and described Portugal as one of the strongest teams in world football.
“These two games, Poland is a good team and Portugal is maybe the best team in the world. This is a great challenge for us and for sure I want to go to their own country to beat them.”
The upcoming friendlies against Poland and Portugal will provide Eric Chelle with an opportunity to assess other members of his squad ahead of future competitive fixtures.
While the absence of Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman removes two of Nigeria’s most experienced attacking threats, the Super Eagles coach remains confident that his team can rise to the challenge.
With momentum from their Unity Cup success and a chance to test themselves against strong European opposition, Nigeria will look to deliver positive performances despite the notable absences.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
