Chelle lists Ekong, Osimhen, 52 others in provisional squad for AFCON
Head coach Eric Chelle has named captain William Ekong, prolific forward Victor Osimhen, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali in a provisional list of 55 players for the upcoming 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi, midfielders Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon and Chidera Ejuke are also listed.
The list also includes Nigeria Premier Football League stars Abdulrasheed Shehu, Ebenezer Harcourt, Ekeson Okorie, Chisom Orji and Adekunle Adeleke.
A final list of 28 players will be drawn from the provisional squad in a matter of days.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to arrive at a training camp in Egypt on Wednesday, 10 December. The team is expected to play a couple of friendly matches before the tournament begins on Sunday, 21 December.
Nigeria is in Group C of the tournament alongside Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
The full list
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Adebayo Adeleye (Volos FC, Greece); Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ebenezer Harcourt (Sporting Lagos).
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Felix Agu (Werder Bremen, Germany); Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England); Adekunle Adeleke (Abia Warriors).
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Beşiktaş FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace, England); Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy); Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy); Usman Mohammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel); Peter Agba (Maccabi Haifa, Israel); Tom Dele-Bashiru (Gençlerbirliği SK, Turkey).
Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy); Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Tolu Arokodare (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain); Olakunle Olusegun (Pari Nizhny Novgorod, Russia); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Kelechi Iheanacho (Celtic, Scotland).
Others are Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Victor Boniface (Werder Bremen, Germany); Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey); Terem Moffi (OGC Nice, France); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece); Abdulrasheed Shehu (Niger Tornadoes); Rafiu Durosinmi (Viktoria Plzeň, Czech Republic); Ekeson Okorie (Nasarawa United); Chisom Orji (Warri Wolves); Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (OH Leuven, Belgium); Philip Otele (FC Basel, Switzerland); Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961, Croatia); Emmanuel Michael (Linzer Athletik SK, Austria).
