Speaking at Thursday's pre-match press conference, Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr stopped short of saying that Malmo star Innocent Bonke and Bologna midfielder Kingsley Michael will be omitted from the game day squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Liberia.
Michael has been handed a maiden invite to the senior national team after forcing himself into the plans of Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic for the new season, while Bonke earned a shock but merited call-up after helping Malmo qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
The duo are behind Wilfred Ndidi, Joe Aribo and Oghenekaro Etebo in the pecking order of holding midfielders for tomorrow evening's clash at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Rohr has hinted.
"For the new players we only have two because the other ones were already with us when you speak of Valentine, Adekunle or Ejuke, they were already with us," Rohr told reporters.
"The new players are only two, it's a player from Malmo, Bonke and a player from Bologna, Kingsley Michael.
"These two players did very well in the training, they are two defensive midfielders, there are few chances that they will play tomorrow because we have all the UK-based players."
"The new players are only two, it's a player from Malmo, Bonke and a player from Bologna, Kingsley Michael.
"These two players did very well in the training, they are two defensive midfielders, there are few chances that they will play tomorrow because we have all the UK-based players."
Bonke and Michael will fill in for the United Kingdom-based midfielders for the second qualifying match with Cape Verde.
The German continued : "None of the UK players will be with us for the second game, eight of our players have to leave after the match tomorrow against Liberia so they will not be in Cape Verde.
"There will be another team for the second game but for the moment we only focus on the first game, but we know already that for the second game we need some other boys, that's why we are happy to have the two players who are coming from Malmo, Sweden, playing in the Champions League, and from Bologna in Italy, Kingsley Michael. They will help us."
"There will be another team for the second game but for the moment we only focus on the first game, but we know already that for the second game we need some other boys, that's why we are happy to have the two players who are coming from Malmo, Sweden, playing in the Champions League, and from Bologna in Italy, Kingsley Michael. They will help us."
An U17 World Cup winner with Nigeria in 2015, Michael started all the four games played by the Flying Eagles at the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup, while Bonke has never been capped.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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