While the Super Eagles failed to play an expansive brand of football during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024), they are not short of quality attacking options.
However, one striker who has written himself into contention with his consistent performances is Elijah Adebayo. The Luton Town forward was born in England but is of Nigerian descent and recently expressed his desire to represent the Super Eagles at international level.
Despite going into the AFCON without Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi and Umar Sadiq, Nigeria still had significant firepower up front. Napoli star Victor Osimhen led the line for the Super Eagles, while Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu served as backups.
During the international break in March, Cyriel Dessers also entered the fray and his impressive numbers at Rangers could make him an option for subsequent matches. With all the aforementioned strikers now fit, newly appointed Nigeria head coach Finidi George will have a big decision to make when it comes to selecting his strike options. As it stands, only Osimhen, Boniface and to some extent, Awoniyi are guaranteed a place in Nigeria’s next squad when everyone is fit.
Elijah Adebayo’s impressive season in the Premier League
Elijah Adebayo’s rise in the Premier League makes him a viable option for Nigeria and his inclusion would mean one of the other strikers dropping out. Paul Onuachu looks likely to be the one to make way.
The on-loan Trabzonspor forward has a similar skillset to Adebayo but has yet to prove himself in a top league. Although Onuachu was prolific in Belgium for Genk and has recently rediscovered his form in the Turkish Super Lig, his résumé contains a failed stint with Southampton in the Premier League.
Whereas Adebayo has taken the English topflight by storm, scoring 10 goals for the relegation-threatened Hatters in his debut Premier League campaign, Onuachu couldn’t cope with the demands when he joined Southampton and was eventually shipped out after just six months without any goals to his name.
Comparing the two strikers, many managers would likely pick Adebayo since he appears more suited to playing under adversity and still producing the goods. The fact that the Luton forward missed several weeks through injury and still is into double digits for a struggling side depicts his talent and proficiency in front of goal.
Adebayo overtakes Onuachu as Super Eagles Plan B
Elijah Adebayo has clearly been a success in the Premier League and that should put him ahead of Onuachu who, despite scoring 12 goals on loan at Trabzonspor, is still not in the plans of Southampton for next season.
If Finidi George is looking to build a team for the future, then Onuachu’s age (29) also makes him a less viable backup to Osimhen and Boniface. The Super Eagles need an alternative profile to the options they currently have and Adebayo readily ticks that box.
At 26, he is young, athletic and also has the physical presence of a target man. Onuachu was viewed as an alternative profile to Osimhen during the AFCON but he never earned the confidence of then head coach Jose Peseiro and has rarely made a mark since his international debut in March 2019.
While Adebayo is uncapped and untested at international level, his performances at club level speaks for itself. The six-foot forward has already overtaken Onuachu as Nigeria’s Plan B in attack and all that is left is for his call-up to be formalised.
With the Super Eagles set to face South Africa and Benin in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month, Adebayo’s profile will be a useful alternative to have in the team if the going gets tough for Osimhen and Boniface.
