The euphoria of retaining the Unity Cup has barely settled, and Eric Chelle is already dealing with a fresh set of headaches ahead of Nigeria’s back-to-back European friendlies against Poland and Portugal next month, Footynaija.com reports.
“Victor Osimhen may have to change clubs, so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 per cent, it is not good,” the coach said.
The 27-year-old remains one of the most sought-after strikers in European football and is currently at the centre of ongoing transfer discussions, with his future at Galatasaray yet to be resolved heading into the summer window.
Lookman’s situation is different. Atletico Madrid asked the NFF to release the winger due to physical fatigue following an exhausting campaign that included a Champions League semi-final run.
“Lookman is very tired, and Atletico has asked us to release him,” Chelle confirmed.
Visa problems, illness and club refusals
Beyond the two headline absences, Chelle revealed a cascade of further problems in his squad update, per Sports247.
Femi Azeez, the Millwall winger who was the standout player of the Unity Cup after scoring three goals contributions across the tournament, will not travel because his club refused to release him for the additional fixtures. Alhassan Yusuf and Samson Tijani, both influential during the Unity Cup, are unable to obtain entry visas.
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro of Anderlecht, another player who impressed in London, is unwell and unavailable. Despite the disruption, Chelle refused to use the absentees as an excuse.
“We will go there to fight. If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. But if we lose, they will have to work for it. They will have to beat us to win those games,” he said.
Nigeria face Poland in Warsaw on June 3 before travelling to Leiria to take on Portugal on June 10, with the Portuguese using the game as a final warmup before heading to the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Both fixtures are serious tests against top European opposition, and Chelle will need to dig deep into his squad to field a competitive side across both games.
