Coach Manu Garba has invited nine foreign-based professionals to do battle with 21 home-based stars for a place in Nigeria’s 21-man squad for the 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) finals in Senegal.
Nigeria’s U-20 men’s internationals, the Flying Eagles, resume training camp in Kaduna on Saturday, with the former U-17 World Cup-winning coach looking to inject stern competition in his team as the country bid to clinch a record-extending seventh continental title.
The invited foreign pros include FC Porto’s Chidera Eze, Manchester City pair of Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali, Isaac Success of Granada CF and Taiwo Awoniyi of Kalmar.
Enyimba international FC midfielder Kingsley Sokari headlines the list of players from the domestic league. El-Kanemi Warriors pair of Ifeanyi Matthew and Sulaiman Abdullahi, and Obinna Nwobodo of Enugu Rangers have also been invited.
Nigeria have been pitched against hosts Senegal, Congo and Cote d’Ivoire in Group A of the championship, which begins on March 8 through 22.
The Eagles open their campaign against the host nation on March 8 in Dakar followed by subsequent clashes with Congo (March 11) and Cote d’Ivoire (March 14).
Full squad
Goalkeepers:Joshua Enaholo, Dele Alampasu, Olorunleke Ojo, Adamu Abubakar
Defenders: Kingsley Madu, Musa Muhammed, Mustapha Abdullahi, Wilfred Ndidi, Zaharadeen Bello, Prince Izu Omego
Midfielders: Ifeanyi Matthew, Akinjide Idowu, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Obinna Nwobodo, Kingsley Sokari, Abdullahi Alfa, Chidiebere Nwakali
Forwards:Taiwo Awoniyi, Isaac Success, Kelechi Iheanacho, Usman Hassan, Alhassan Ibrahim, Sulaiman Abdullahi, Abubakar Lawal, Bernard Bulbwa, Chidera Eze, Billy Auta, Musa Yahaya, Moses Simon, Wasiu Jimoh