Interim coach of the Nigerian national team, Augustine Eguavoen, is set to replace Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia striker Odion Ighalo with Feyenoord of Holland star Cyriel Dessers in the Super Eagles squad if the Saudi outfits fail to release him for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.The former Watford FC star is yet to hit the camp of the three-time African champions
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Ighalo is yet to hit the camp of the Super Eagles as the team is set to depart for Cameroon on Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Al Shabab is reluctant towards releasing their star man for the continental showpiece due to tough encounters in the Saudi league. It will be recalled that the former Manchester United star had said in an interview with NFF TV, after coming out of international retirement, that the Asian club was adamant about releasing him for Nigeria’s 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage match against Cape Verde owing to a verbal agreement with the club that he does not have an international commitment before signing his contract.
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Eguavoen who took charge of the team on a temporary basis after Gernot Rohr was ousted on December 12, 2021, is unwilling to dwell on Al Shabab’s refusal to release the 2019 AFCON highest goal scorer and has fixed his attention on the possibility of bringing Dessers to the tournament and working with the strikers in camp. Despite his impressive performances for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie this season which has seen him score eight times and registered an assist, Dessers was overlooked in the 28-man list, but with the latest development, the Belgian-born forward could be flying to Cameroon soon. He will have to compete for starting shirt against the likes of Sadiq Umar, Taiwo Awoniyi, Peter Olayinka, and Henry Onyekuru in the Super Eagles’ frontline. Nigeria begin their 2022 AFCON campaign on January 11, 2022, against Egypt. Source: Soccernet NG Featured Image Source: Netherlands News Live
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