Super Eagles No 1 goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, who is without a club, has been left out of forthcoming friendlies against Jordan and Iran, so too star striker Victor Osimhen, while there are fresh call-ups for Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez, Yira Sor of Belgian club Genk and Philip Otele from Hamburg.
In place of Nwabali, coach Eric Chelle has called up Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who opted out of the 2025 AFCON because he was not guaranteed a first-team place.
Star striker Osimhen was a surprise omission from the squad even though the matches will be played in Turkey.
Speed star Yira Sor has been flying at Genk, while Otele is pushing his way at new German Bundesliga club Hamburg.
Eric Chelle has also selected team captain Wilfred Ndidi, midfield ace Alex Iwobi and forward Ademola Lookman in a list of 23 players for the matches, which have now been moved from the Jordanian capital, Amman to the city of Antalya in Turkey.
The Super Eagles will take on Iran’s senior men football team in Antalya on Friday, 27th March (with kick off set for 4pm local time), and then the Jordan senior men national team on Tuesday, 31st March (with kick off set for 8pm local time).
Originally scheduled for the 17,000-capacity Amman International Stadium and the 62,000-capacity King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (also in Amman), the games had to be moved to a new venue following the outbreak of military conflict in the Middle East.
23 SUPER EAGLES FOR FRIENDLIES MATCHES AGAINST IRAN & JORDAN
Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Adeleye Adebayo (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)
Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Emmanuel Fernandez (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Coventry FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy)
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Simon Moses (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Philip Otele (Hamburger SV, Germany); Collins Yira Sor (KRC Genk, Belgium)
