Eric Chelle Reportedly Shortlists 35 Foreign-Based Players for Nigeria U23 Olympic Project

Nigeria U23 head coach Eric Chelle has reportedly identified 35 foreign-based players eligible to represent the Olympic team as preparations gather pace for the country’s next Olympic qualification campaign.

According to Daily Post, Chelle, who also doubles as head coach of the Super Eagles, has stepped up efforts to build a competitive squad capable of returning Nigeria to the men’s football tournament at the Olympic Games after the country’s absence from the last two editions.

The Malian tactician is said to be monitoring players across the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and several European leagues, with a focus on assembling the country’s brightest young talents.

Among the foreign-based players reportedly on Chelle’s radar are Brighton & Hove Albion winger Zadok Yohanna, RB Leipzig winger Suleiman Sani, and Famalicão forward Umar Abubakar, all of whom have impressed with their recent performances at club level.

The reported watchlist also includes Promise Meliga of Norway’s Kristiansund BK, Mubarak Suleiman of Slavia Prague, Hafiz Umar of French side Reims, Emmanuel Michael of Austrian club LASK, Emmanuel Godwin of Czech outfit FK Pardubice, and Akpe Victory of Hungarian club Zalaegerszeg.

The extensive list highlights the growing number of young Nigerian talents making their mark across Europe, with prospects currently developing in England, Germany, Portugal, France, Austria, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Hungary.

Chelle is expected to blend the best-performing overseas prospects with standout home-based players as he prepares the U23 Eagles for the upcoming Olympic qualifying campaign.

Nigeria last featured in the men’s Olympic football tournament at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where the U23 Eagles secured the bronze medal. Since then, the team has failed to qualify for both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic football tournaments.

Although no official squad has been announced, the reported shortlist offers an early glimpse into the players being monitored as Chelle begins laying the foundation for Nigeria’s bid to return to Olympic football.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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