Super Eagles Manager Gernot Rohr has suggested Odion Ighalo could return to the Super Eagles and as second choice striker to Victor Osimhen.
Rohr told footballlive.ng he is spoilt for choice with available Strikers, but the German’s decision to recall Ighalo from international retirement may also be because the 31 year-old is proven.
Ighalo finished as top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, earning his 35th cap before calling time as Super Eagles first choice striker.
He scored 16 goals for the national team, making him the 8th highest goal scorer of all time for the Eagles.
Ighalo moved on loan from Shanghai Shenhua to Manchester United in 2020. In 2021 he left the Chinese club for Al Shabab in the Saudi Premier League.
While Osimhen seemed to have stepped up and comfortably into Ighalo’s shoes, the several back up Strikers have failed to impress.
Between them Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Emmanuel Dennis and Josh Maja have scored just one goal since Ighalo’s retirement in 2019.
Rohr spoke about his plans for next month’s AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho.
He confirmed Victor Osimhen will retain his first choice spot, but the second and third spots will have several contenders.
“We have Sadiq Umar, Henry (Onyekuru) is coming back, the list is long, perhaps Ighalo, the list is very long,’ the Manager said.
“I trust and hope that Victor Osimhen after his injury in Benin City, which put him out of the pitch over three months and his little travelling to Lagos, coming back and had this problem.
“I hope he’ll be very fit again it is my first wish, but he’s on the right way now playing again in Napoli.
“And then the second striker we have also Kelechi (Iheanacho) playing in the Cup but not in the League, so we have many Strikers and it’ll be a difficult choice to settle for the second or third one; the fittest one will be invited.”
