Super Eagles: 3 Nigerian centre-backs knocking on Eric Chelle’s door

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is preparing to name his squads for the September international window, with Nigeria facing Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Afrik-Foot reports.

A separate squad is also expected for the October friendly against Russia, giving Chelle another chance to look at players outside his established group.

The centre-back positions already have experienced options such as Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Emmanuel Fernandez, and Igoh Ogbu. Yet three Nigerian defenders playing in Europe have developed into interesting alternatives: Sparta Prague’s Emmanuel Uchenna, Red Star Belgrade’s Franklin Tebo Uchenna and FC Basel’s teenage defender Akpe Victory.

Their situations are different. Emmanuel has already played at a high level in the Czech Republic but is currently dealing with a thigh problem. Tebo has European experience, including UEFA competition, and has already made one senior Nigeria appearance.

Akpe is the youngest of the three and has made a fast start to life in Switzerland after moving to Basel in July. Their club form, experience and market values provide a useful picture of how close each player is to Chelle’s plans.

Eric Chelle’s next Super Eagles defenders?

Emmanuel Uchenna: €4.5m defender with a setback

Emmanuel Uchenna Aririerisim, 22, is the most valuable of the three on Transfermarkt’s current figures. The Sparta Prague centre-back is valued at €4.5 million. He is 1.87 metres tall and developed through MFK Vítkovice, FC Hlučín and Baník Ostrava before moving to Sparta.

His move to Sparta was completed in January 2025 after a strong first half of the 2024-25 campaign at Baník Ostrava. Sparta sporting director Tomáš Rosický said Uchenna had the attributes the club wanted in a centre-back and described him as a young player with strong potential for further development.

The numbers since then show why the move attracted attention. Uchenna made 12 league appearances and nine starts for Sparta in 2024-25, playing 775 minutes. In 2025-26, his involvement increased to 14 appearances, 13 starts and 1,059 minutes, with two goals.

That progress has been interrupted by injury, with Uchenna currently suffering from a thigh problem, with no return date given. Sparta have started the 2026-27 season without him, while the club sits eighth after eight league matches and has also entered the Europa League.

That makes a September Super Eagles call-up difficult to assess. His previous performances put him firmly into the wider conversation, but his current fitness is the immediate issue. A return to regular first-team football would strengthen his case considerably.

Uchenna’s present injury situation means the Russia friendly may be a more realistic opportunity if he returns to action in the coming weeks.

Franklin Tebo Uchenna: The experienced option already capped by Nigeria

Franklin Tebo Uchenna, 26, has one senior Nigeria cap, earned in 2021. He has not played for the Super Eagles since, making him a fringe international.

The 1.92m centre-back has taken a long route through European football. He started his senior career with Nasarawa United before joining BK Häcken in Sweden in 2021. He later played for Sarpsborg 08 in Norway, where he made 60 appearances and scored five goals, before joining Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade in August 2025.

His move to Red Star was another step up. Tebo played domestic football and European matches during his first season, including UEFA competition.

His profile fits the physical demands of a central defender. At 1.92m, he gives a coach height in the penalty area, while his years in Sweden, Norway and Serbia have exposed him to different defensive systems.

Tebo’s experience makes him a logical player to revisit, particularly if Chelle wants an older centre-back for the October Russia friendly. His one cap is now five years old, however, so a return would still require a fresh run of convincing club performances.

Akpe Victory: Basel’s €2m teenager making a fast case

Akpe Victory Maduabuchukwu is the youngest of the three, born in Abuja on July 19, 2006. At 20, he has already moved from Lithuanian football to Hungary and then Switzerland in less than two years.

Currently valued at €2 million, Victory’s value was only €100,000 when he moved from Banga to Zalaegerszegi in January 2026. Zalaegerszegi paid €550,000 for him before Basel signed the centre-back in July for a reported €3 million. His Basel contract runs until June 2030.

His development has accelerated since arriving in Switzerland. Victory is 1.95m tall and right-footed, giving Basel a powerful young option in central defence. He has also moved straight into regular league football rather than spending his first months on the bench.

The early numbers are striking. The youngster has already played eight Swiss Super League matches, with seven starts, one goal and one assist.

His goal and assist came in Basel’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Young Boys on August 29. He then played 90 minutes in the defeats against Sion and Lugano before completing another 90 minutes in Basel’s 4-2 win at Luzern on September 13.

His defensive numbers have also caught attention. A Swiss Super League ball-recovery ranking places Victory first with 21 recoveries, averaging 2.63 per 90 minutes after eight matches.

The biggest question is international experience. Victory has not played for any of Nigeria’s youth and senior teams, and his European career is still developing.

Victory may be the most intriguing long-term option of the three. His age, physical profile, €2m valuation and regular Basel football give Chelle plenty to study.

A Russia friendly would offer a natural setting to test him without immediately placing him into a competitive AFCON qualifier.