Super Eagles’ highest goal scorer at the World Cup, Ahmed Musa, is making a comeback to the national team after more than a year out. Musa, who now plays for Kano Pillars in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), is among players listed for the forthcoming Unity Cup in London later this month and the international friendly against Russia on June 6.

  Coach Eric Chelle’s teams for both games also have some home-based players, including CHAN Eagles captain, Junior Harrison Nduka, who also skippers NPFL champions, Remo Stars, Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, Sodiq Ismaila, Waliu Ojetoye, Papa Daniel Mustapha, Saviour Isaac and Collins Ugwueze.

  Also in the squad list made available to The Guardian by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), yesterday, are France-based Moses Simon, goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, Wilfred Ndidi, and Frank Onyeka, who is also returning to the team after missing the Eagles’ last couple of games.

  Spain-based Chrisantus Uche is expected to make his debut for the Super Eagles in the friendlies. Explaining his choice of players, Chelle said: “We’re looking forward to taking part in the Unity Cup as it will give us the chance to try out a few new players in different roles, helping us to strengthen our squad before the matches in September and October.”

 Nduka will contend for a position in the Eagles’ defence with Semi Ajayi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Igoh Ogbu, Onyebuchi, Ismail, and Ojetoye, while Mustapha, Isaac, and Ugwueze will have to contend with Ndidi, Onyeka, and Uche in midfield.

  In the attack, home-based Musa, Abubakar, and Alimi are up against Samuel Chukwueze, Simon, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella, Tolu Arokodare, and Kelechi Iheanacho.

  The Unity Cup tournament, involving Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana, and Trinidad and Tobago, will be staged at the 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, West London. The tournament will kick off with the first semi-final on May 27 as Trinidad & Tobago tackle Jamaica in the first-ever ‘Trini-Jam’ on UK soil. The following day, three-time African champions Nigeria will take on four-time African champions Ghana in the second semi-final, which will come with all the intrigues and variables of a 74-year rivalry between the two continental giants.

  All four teams will return on May 31 for the grand finale, with the losers of the semifinals playing in the third-place game, before the final to determine The Unity Cup 2025 champions.

  For the game against Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, on June 6, Chelle chose 21 players, with captain William Ekong, fellow defenders Olaoluwa Aina and Bright Osayi-Samuel, midfielders Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Raphael Onyedika, and forwards Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar joining several picks from the Unity Cup squad.

  The full list of players for the Unity Cup has goalkeepers Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); and Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania).

  The defenders in the squad are Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Nduka (Remo Stars); Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers); Ismaila (Remo Stars); and Ojetoye (Ikorodu City), while the midfielders are Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Isaac (Enugu Rangers); Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); and Ugwueze (Enugu Rangers).

  The attack has Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Moses (FC Nantes, France); Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Alimi (Remo Stars); Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Musa (Kano Pillars); and Abubakar (Plateau United).

  Thenff.com said that Werder Bremen of Germany’s Felix Agu will only train with the squad for this tournament. Goalkeeper Nwabali is not in the squad for the game against Russia, but Maduka and Obasogie retain their places.

   The defenders include Ekong; Aina; Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Onyemaechi; Ajayi; and Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic), Ndidi, Onyeka, Uche, Mustapha, and Uche retain their positions in the team, while Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge, Belgium, and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru of Italy’s Lazio atre the new comers to the squad.

  The forwards in the Russia squad are Victor Boniface of Bayer Leverkusen, and Sadiq Umar of Spain’s Valencia, who are not listed in the Unity Cup squad, Chukwueze, Iheanacho, Moses, Tella, and Arokodare.