Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi will make a return to the team for the first time in over nine months when Nigeria face African Champions Cameroon in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers next month.
Mikel, whose last appearance with the team was in November, 2016 when the team beat Algeria in their last group game in the race to qualify for Russia heads a 23-man list announced by Nigeria’s Football Federation on Tuesday night in Abuja.
Now based in China with Tianjin TEDA, Mikel is not the only returnee to the squad as fellow China based attacker Odion Ighalo who has been in a good scoring form recently for his club Changchun Yatai also earned a recall.
Germany based defender Leon Balogun makes a return from injury while team coach Gernot Rohr has stuck with goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi despite coming under fire for his performance in the team’s loss against South Africa.
Hull City full back Ola Aina and Israel based forward Anthony Nwakaeme are in line to make their national team debuts in the qualification games.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United, South Africa); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal)
Defenders: William Ekong (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (Sivasspor FC, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Ola Aina (Hull City, England)
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi (Tianjin Teda, China); Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Odion Ighalo (Chang Chun-Yatai, China); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Anthony Nwakaeme (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel)
STANDBY: Uche Agbo (Standard Liege, Belgium); Henry Onyekuru (Anderlecht FC, Belgium); Kenneth Omeruo (Chelsea FC, England); Aaron Samuel (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Alhassan Ibrahim (Akwa United); Stephen Eze (FC IfeanyiUbah); Ifeanyi Ifeanyi (Akwa United)
