With the matches set for March 21 and March 25, Chelle is expected to trim the squad by about 16 players, finalising his 23-man selection in the coming days.

With Chelle set to announce his final 23-man squad on March 17, we identify the players expected to miss out on selection.

The home-based players

The squad includes a quartet of standout players from the NPFL, such as Remo Stars’ goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, Enugu Rangers’ defender Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Niger Tornadoes’ forward Papa Daniel Mustapha. Despite impressing at their respective clubs this season, they may miss out on the final squad due to the wealth of talent available in the Super Eagles setup.

The wounded

Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who was included in the provisional squad, is expected to be omitted from the final list.

The shot-stopper has been sidelined since December after undergoing successful surgery for a scapholunate ligament injury in his right wrist. With his recovery timeline set for April, he is unlikely to feature in the upcoming fixtures.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is another player who could miss out on the final squad due to injury. The Super Eagles’ no. 10 sustained an ankle sprain during Lazio’s Serie A clash against Venezia on February 25 and has been sidelined since.

Although reports from Italy indicate that he is likely to make a dramatic return before the international break his chances of making the final squad appear highly unlikely unless he experiences a remarkably swift recovery.

New Sevilla signing Akor Adams may have to wait a little longer for his Super Eagles debut. The former Montpellier striker sustained an injury during a training session and has been sidelined since February.




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