Nigeria coach Éric Chelle has taken a measured approach to his squad planning for next month’s international friendlies, Footynaija reports.
The former Lens defender has chosen continuity over wholesale changes as the Super Eagles prepare for difficult away games against Poland and Portugal.
Nigeria travel to Warsaw on June 3 before facing Portugal in Leiria seven days later, with both fixtures expected to offer Chelle a clearer picture of the team’s readiness ahead of the next phase of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Related Post
The Malian coach has kept faith with several trusted names who formed the backbone of Nigeria’s recent campaigns. Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Paul Onuachu are expected to spearhead the attack, while experienced figures such as Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey remain central to his tactical setup.
At the same time, Chelle continues to widen the national team pool. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has been rewarded for his strong season with Wrexham AFC, while the likes of Femi Azeez, Tochukwu Nnadi and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro are also being monitored closely.
Chelle is separately using the Unity Cup in London as a development platform for home-based players and fringe internationals, allowing senior stars some recovery time after a demanding European season.
Meanwhile, Poland may head into the Nigeria clash without key defender Matty Cash. Reports in Poland claim the Aston Villa F.C. full-back is struggling with fitness problems after an exhausting campaign in which he made 49 appearances, scoring three goals and providing five assists.
