The duo of Alex Iwobi and Victor Osimhen have received contrasting feelers from their respective clubs, ahead of Monday’s opening of the Super Eagles’ camp in Benin City, as the former has been released by Everton of England but the latter is still battling for the nod from SSC Napoli of Italy, megasportsarena.com reports.
While Osimhen is still keeping his fingers crossed over his chances of honouring Nigeria’s call for the coming weekend’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Iwobi is already shouting halleluyah that he will be on the flight out of Merseyside next Sunday.
Osimhen will now hang onto a positive resolution to lingering suspense over the matter, after Napoli’s president and owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis confessed that he is considering stopping the Italian Serie A club’s most expensive signing ever from linking up with the Eagles on Monday.
Last month, Osimhen was barred from reporting for international duty because the Napoli players were ordered into quarantine following three positive COVID-19 cases he has, however, already been recalled to the Eagles’ upcoming matches with Sierra Leone.
Italian sports daily, Corriere dello Sport has, however, raised doubt over the chances of Osimhen honouring Nigeria’s call, as the tabloid disclosed that Napoli believe that national team matches add an extra burden to the club’s fitness levels during the recurring coronavirus pandemic.
It was further reported that, due to their hectic schedule, Napoli are concerned that their players risk suffering injuries while on international duty.
In the same vein, under revised FIFA rules, European clubs are not obliged to release their players for international matches, such that Nigeria may eventually tango Sierra Leone without Osinhem, who has been the Eagles’ most influential player in the 2021 AFCON qualifiers, having contributed to 83.3 percent of their goals already, with three to his name, in addition to two assists.
On the other hand, Everton’s coach, Carlo Ancelotti said ahead of his side’s English Premier League clash with Manchester United at Goodison Park that Iwobi, Yerry Mina and James Rodriguez will be allowed to join their national teams in the last FIFA window for 2020.
Under the revised FIFA rules, European clubs are not obliged to release their players if it would involve a mandatory period of quarantine or self-isolation of at least five days upon arrival at their base, or the location where a representative team match is scheduled to take place.
Iwobi has already been included in Nigeria’s squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone on November 13 and 17 in Benin City and Freetown respectively.
If Iwobi is selected for Sunday’s EPL game, it would be the eight time in his professional career he has faced Manchester United and the former Arsenal winger, who started the Eagles’ last two matches, will immediately after head out to Benin City.
Ancelotti confirmed as much in his pre=match media briefing, as the Italian tactician stated: “All the players that have a call from the national teams are allowed to travel.”
