Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr said that a forward and a midfielder could be dropped from the 25-man provisional team for his final squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Caf has set Monday, June 10 as the deadline for the 24 participating countries to send their final team list for the tournament which will begin in Egypt later in the month.
After Saturday’s friendly match against Zimbabwe at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, two players will be released before the team departs for the Egyptian city of Ismailia for final preparations.
Rohr stated that he has been impressed by the team’s overall preparation since Monday, when the camp opened in Asaba, which makes gives him difficulty in selecting his final squad.
“You know that everybody wants to come to Egypt and there are still two players to drop, so the competition is open and everybody wants to be in the final 23-man squad,” Rohr was quoted by AOIFootball.
“It will be very difficult for me and my staff to choose the final 23 because everybody is doing so well."
With proven strikers Victor Osimhen, Odion Ighalo and Paul Onuachu in the team, the 65-year-old disclosed that one of them has to go.
“We have a lot of strikers, which is good. Other teams are searching for center-forwards and we have three of them, one of them has to go. I could drop one striker and one midfielder," he added.
Before starting their Afcon campaign in Group B against Burundi, Madagascar and Guinea, the Super Eagles are scheduled to play against Senegal at the Ismailia Stadium on June 16.