Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle will lead Nigeria into June friendlies against Poland and Portugal without five members of his Unity Cup squad.
Speaking in London on May 31, a day after Nigeria's 3-0 win over Jamaica in the Unity Cup final, Chelle named Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Alhassan Yusuf and Samson Tijani as unavailable. The team is due in Warsaw on June 3 before travelling to Leiria for the June 10 fixture, and Chelle said the forced changes will alter his selection.
Chelle gave separate reasons for each absence. He said Osimhen is focusing on club transfer talks and was not at the level to feature, while Lookman was stood down after Atlético Madrid cited fatigue. Chukwueze was granted leave following his mother's funeral in Nigeria. Yusuf, who scored twice in the final, and Tijani could not obtain Schengen visas in time after playing the London tournament.
Millwall forward Femi Azeez, who scored in the semi-final against Zimbabwe, has been called up as cover. Nigeria face Poland at the PGE Narodowy Stadium and Portugal at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa.