Super Eagles hopefuls: 5 players who could get a maiden call-up in November

The Super Eagles’ final international window of 2026 could give Eric Chelle another opportunity to widen his options, with several Nigeria-eligible players making strong cases at club level, Afrik-Foot reports.

The September International break has already seen Chelle introduce several new faces to the senior team, while the October friendly against Russia is giving the coach another opportunity to assess players outside his established AFCON qualifying squad.

Moses Usor, Isaac James and George Ilenikhena have already received their maiden senior invitations for the September qualifiers, while Victory Akpe, Mubarak Suleiman and several others are set to join the squad for the Russia friendly.

That means the next group of hopefuls will have to do more than simply attract attention. They will need to maintain strong club form and, in some cases, resolve questions about their international future before Chelle names his November squad.

5 players who could enter the Super Eagles picture in November

1. Dapo Afolayan

Afolayan is arguably the most obvious name knocking on Chelle’s door. The Blackburn Rovers forward has already made his intentions clear, committing his international future to Nigeria after previously representing England C.

“For me, playing for Nigeria would be really special,” the 29-year-old told Sky Sports in 2024.

“I was born in London so, playing for England would be a dream also, but playing for Nigeria would be really special for my family too.

“I think if the opportunity came, I’d be so grateful. I would feel like I’ve achieved another one of my goals.

“That’s all something I just want to keep working towards and hopefully, in the next few years, it can happen.”

The 29-year-old also held talks with Nigeria Football Federation officials during the 2025 Unity Cup and has continued to make a strong case through his performances in the Championship.

Afolayan has started all eight of Blackburn’s league matches this season, producing three goals and two assists.

With Nigeria continuing to search for alternatives around established names such as Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze, another productive month could make Afolayan difficult to overlook.

2. Tosin Adarabioyo

Tosin Adarabioyo represents a different type of Super Eagles opportunity because the biggest question is not whether he has the experience, but whether Nigeria can finally convince him to make the switch.

The 29-year-old centre-back reiterated in March that he would be delighted to represent Nigeria despite having played for England at youth level.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Adarabioyo remains eligible for the Super Eagles and has never been capped by England at senior level.

His club situation has also changed. After two seasons at Chelsea, Adarabioyo joined Tottenham Hotspur in September, taking his considerable Premier League experience to another top-flight club.

Before the move, he had made 70 appearances for Chelsea and previously spent four seasons at Fulham, where he accumulated 132 appearances.

Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi described him as a “strong, athletic defender” who understands the demands of playing at the highest level.

Nigeria already have Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu competing for centre-back places, but Adarabioyo would bring something different: extensive Premier League experience and a 1.97m frame.

If he establishes himself at Tottenham and remains open to Nigeria, November could become an important moment in Chelle’s attempt to add another experienced defender to his options.

3. Tim Iroegbunam

Iroegbunam’s route to the Super Eagles has become more interesting since his move from Everton to Hull City.

The 23-year-old midfielder joined the newly promoted Premier League club on a five-year contract in September after accumulating 60 Premier League appearances between Everton and Aston Villa.

He is also eligible for Nigeria through his Nigerian parents despite representing England at youth level.

Chelle has previously been linked with the midfielder, whose profile could address one of Nigeria’s long-term midfield questions.

Iroegbunam is a defensive-minded midfielder with the physicality to win duels and cover ground, qualities that could complement rather than simply duplicate Wilfred Ndidi.

Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic previously described him as “dynamic, powerful, has pace and is strong in challenges and duels.”

His immediate problem is fitness. Iroegbunam aggravated a groin injury in September and could miss a significant portion of October.

That means his November prospects could depend heavily on how quickly he returns and whether he can re-establish himself at Hull.

If he comes back strongly, however, his Premier League experience could make him a particularly interesting option for Chelle.

4. David Ozoh

Ozoh is another midfielder whose international future remains open. Born in Valencia to Nigerian parents, the 21-year-old is eligible to represent Nigeria, England and Spain. He has represented England at Under-18 level but has not played senior international football.

After two loan spells at Derby County, Ozoh joined the Championship club permanently in September and has already begun another season of regular first-team football.

He made 33 Championship appearances last season, accumulating 1,920 minutes, and has started twice since returning to Derby this season.

His profile is particularly interesting because Nigeria’s midfield has been undergoing gradual change under Chelle.

Ndidi remains a key figure, while Raphael Onyedika has now entered the senior setup and several younger midfielders are being assessed.

Ozoh could become another option for the defensive midfield role if he continues to develop his consistency at Derby.

The November window could be too soon if Chelle prefers to monitor him for longer, but his regular Championship football gives him a platform from which to force the conversation.

5. Chuba Akpom

Akpom’s case is slightly different because he has already experienced the highest levels of European football and is now back in the Premier League.

The 30-year-old striker completed a permanent move to Ipswich Town after helping the club secure promotion from the Championship.

Akpom previously represented England at several youth levels but has not been capped by the Three Lions at senior level, leaving him eligible for Nigeria.

His start to the new Premier League campaign has been modest, but he has already scored once in the competition and added a goal and an assist in Ipswich’s League Cup victory over Leicester City.

If Akpom can force his way into a more regular role and start contributing consistently in the Premier League, his experience as a centre-forward who can also operate behind the striker could become attractive to Chelle.

Nigeria already have several attacking options, but injuries, form and the continued development of players such as Ilenikhena could alter the picture by November.

Chelle has another window to expand his options

The September and October international windows have shown that Chelle is willing to look beyond Nigeria’s established core.

The coach has already handed first senior invitations to several players while also maintaining a pathway for younger and previously overlooked Nigeria-eligible players.

The November window could therefore provide another opportunity to expand that pool.

Afolayan has the strongest immediate club-form argument, while Adarabioyo offers Premier League experience and has publicly expressed his willingness to represent Nigeria.

Iroegbunam and Ozoh provide younger midfield alternatives, while Akpom has another chance to revive his international ambitions through his return to the Premier League.

For all five, the next six weeks could determine whether being a Super Eagles hopeful becomes a genuine senior international opportunity.