Nigeria’s Flying Eagles have called up nine foreign-based professionals, led by FC Porto youngster, Mikel Agu.
Agu, 19, is a highly-rated defensive midfielder, who has been knocking on the first-team door at Portuguese champions, Porto, for the past two seasons.
Bright Osagie from top Austrian club, Red Bull Salzburg, has also been handed an invitation by the reigning African champions.
Team Secretary, Aliyu Lawal Ibrahim, disclosed that the foreign pros have been given a Sunday deadline to report to the Flying Eagles training camp in Nanka, Anambra State.
Ten players have also been dropped, while six other players from the domestic league have been given a chance to prove themselves in the team.
Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles will step up their build-up for the 2013 African Youth Championship in Algeria with warm-up matches against several top Nigeria Premier League clubs.
They will host Enugu Rangers in Nanka on January 27 with a rematch planned for January 30 in Enugu.
They then take on Super 4 and Federation Cup winners, Heartland, on February 1 and two days later face ambitious newly-promoted Bayelsa United.
The call-ups:
Mikel Agu – FC Porto, Portugal
Bright Osagie – Red Bull Salzburg, Austria
Salau Ibrahim Atta – Westerlo, Belgium
Christian Chidere Okafor – LFK Numberg, Germany
Marvel Ekpiteta – Stevenage, England
Femi Ajayi – Charlton Athletic
Oliha Aigbe – Esperance Zarziz, Tunisia
Kenneth Ngwoke – Hamitkay, Cyprus
Jesse Sekidika – Lancaster Higher School, England