Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has excluded star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman from Nigeria's squad for upcoming international fixtures against Ghana and Russia.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officially released the list of invited players on Wednesday afternoon, confirming the absence of the two key attackers who have been instrumental for both club and country in recent months.

Nigeria is scheduled to face Ghana in the Unity Cup before taking on Russia in another international friendly. The exclusion of Osimhen and Lookman comes as a surprise given their impressive performances in European football.

While the specific reasons for their omission were not immediately disclosed, the squad will see the return of several experienced players including goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, midfielder Frank Onyeka, forward Kelechi Iheanacho, and veteran captain Ahmed Musa.

Osimhen, who has been making headlines in Turkey, was recently named Player of the Season by a former Besiktas coach, with reports suggesting Galatasaray is "ready to pay anything" to secure his services.

Lookman, on the other hand, has been in stellar form for his club side, contributing significantly to their campaign this season.

The Super Eagles' matches against Ghana and Russia will serve as important tests for Chelle's squad as they continue their preparations for upcoming competitive fixtures.

The NFF is expected to provide more details about the squad selection and match preparations in the coming days.