Watford's Dennis and Glasgow Rangers' Balogun are among quartet who drop out of Nations Cup squad with injury

WATFORD'S Emmanuel Dennis and Leon Balogun of Glasgow Rangers are among four players that have just dropped out of the Super Eagles squad bound for the 33rd African Cup of Nations kicking off in Cameroon on January 9.

Due to start in just over a week's time, the biennial tournament has been overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic, with European clubs using it as a pretext not to release their players. As a result, some players have been pressurised to withdraw from squads, coming on top of the normal spate of injuries that can never be avoided.

Nigeria had named a 28-man squad, which had already begun camping in Abuja but coach Austin Eguavoen has been forced to make four late changes due to injury. Balogun, Dennis along with Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Shehu Abdullahi of Cypriot side Omonia have all pulled out over injury, health and fitness concerns.

Tyronne Ebuehi of Italian side Venezia has been brought in to replace Abdullahi, while, Semi Ajayi of English Championship side West Bromwich Albion replaces Balogun as a centreback. Peter Olayinka of Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic has been brought in to replace Dennis, while striker Henry Onyekuru of Olympiacos replaces Osimhen in attack.

Nigerian Football Federation spokesperson Ademola Olajire, said: “Lively forward Victor Osimhen’s positive test to the coronavirus pandemic a couple of days ago and injury to the versatile Abdullahi Shehu have constrained changes to Nigeria’s final 28-man list for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations starting in Cameroon next weekend. The goalkeeping department is untouched but the forced exclusion of Cyprus-based Shehu, who can slot easily into sections of the defence and midfield, has made way for hard-as-nails right back Tyrone Ebuehi, now with Venezia in the Italian Serie A.

"Also, England-based Oluwasemilogo Ajayi returns to the group for Africa’s flagship football championship following injury to centre-back Leon Balogun and Osimhen’s absence paves way for Greece-based Henry Onyekuru who was also at the last finals in Egypt. In-form rapid raider Emmanuel Dennis, whose English Premiership club is baring fangs, has been excused to provide room for Czech Republic-based forward Peter Olayinka.”

However, the NFF will be calling up Leicester City winger Ademola Lookman because he Fifa clearance making him eligible to represent Nigeria is yet to come through. Born in England, Lookman, 24, is eligible to represent Nigeria through his parents but he has featured for England at U-19, U-20 and U-21 levels, so needs Fifa clearance to make the switch.

According to the NFF, Lookman was included in the initial Super Eagles provisional list for the Nations Cup, believing that the process would have been finalised before the tournament kicks off. However, the winger, currently on loan to Leicester City from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, has had to be dropped because the process has not been completed

Mr Olajire said: “The Nigeria Football Federation has stated categorically that Ademola Lookman of Leicester City has not yet been cleared by world football body, Fifa to represent Nigeria at international level. The process for his switch is ongoing and his name was included in the initial provisional list with the believe that the process would have been completed before the commencement of the African Cup of Nations."