Chelle Faces Setback After Fulham Confirm Late Release Of Super Eagles Trio

Chelle Faces Setback After Fulham Confirm Late Release Of Super Eagles Trio

By Admin 

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle faces an early setback in his preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following Fulham manager Marco Silva’s confirmation that Nigerian internationals Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi will remain with the Premier League club longer than initially anticipated, BNSports.com.ng reports.

With the tournament set to begin in just a matter of days, national teams across Africa are seeking to assemble their full squads for intensive pre-AFCON training. Preparations, however, have been complicated by a revised player-release directive. FIFA has reportedly informed clubs that players called up for AFCON may remain with their teams until December 15—just six days before kickoff, significantly reducing preparation time for participating nations.

For Nigeria, the impact is particularly pronounced as Fulham feature three core members of the Super Eagles squad. Silva, speaking after his side’s dramatic 5–4 defeat to Manchester City where both Iwobi and Chukwueze scored suggested the club intends to retain its African players for as long as the rules allow.

“Chukwueze is showing his quality. We will lose him in 15 days’ time,” Silva said during his post-match press conference, indicating that the winger is unlikely to join the national camp until mid-December.

The shortened preparation window presents a tactical and logistical challenge for Chelle, who is seeking to fine-tune his squad before the team heads into a demanding AFCON campaign.