Fulham manager Marco Silva has expressed frustration over the club’s summer transfer planning following the departure of Super Eagles trio Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Nigerian national team opened camp on Sunday in Cairo, Egypt, ahead of a preparatory friendly against the Pharaohs at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.

Since the camp opened, 22 players have reported to sharpen preparations for the biennial tournament in Morocco.

While Fulham duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi are already in camp, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is still awaiting the arrival of Samuel Chukwueze.

Speaking ahead of Fulham’s Carabao Cup clash against Newcastle United, Silva admitted that losing three key players at the same time presents a major challenge, though he noted it was an expected situation.

“If you lose three players, it's tough, but we knew that from last July,” Silva said as reported by Standard.

The former Everton manager also questioned the club’s summer recruitment strategy, pointing to the signing of Chukwueze despite being fully aware he would be unavailable due to his AFCON commitments with Nigeria.

“When we signed Chukwueze, we knew it, we should have been prepared for that situation. We have to face the competitions with the players we have,” he added. 

The Portuguese tactician acknowledged the significant impact of the Nigerian internationals on Fulham’s season so far. 

Since the start of the campaign, the Super Eagles players have played vital roles in the team’s resurgence after a slow beginning.

Between them, Iwobi, Bassey and Chukwueze have contributed five goals and six assists, helping the Cottagers climb up the Premier League table.

With AFCON set to get underway, Silva will now be forced to rely on squad depth as Fulham navigate a crucial phase of the season without some of their most influential performers.