Super Eagles caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen has said he remains confident Odion Ighalo will join up with the team for the AFCON despite the refusal of his Saudi Arabian club to release him.
Ighalo is torn between club and country after his team Al Shabab maintained he will not feature at the AFCON after they signed him when he had already retired from international football.
The striker is reported to be already in Nigeria and has a deadline to confirm his availability today.
Various reports have even suggested that several players have been placed on standby to replace the former Manchester United ace.
“Hopefully Odion comes,” Eguavoen said at today’s media briefing.
The experienced striker is widely expected to lead the Eagles attack in the absence of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
He was top scorer at the 2019 AFCON with five goals as Nigeria placed third in Egypt.
Ighalo is the leading scorer in Saudi Arabian league with 10 goals as Al Shabab push for their first title in many years.
He made his international comeback in the Eagles World Cup qualifier against Cape Verde in Lagos in November.
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