Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained his decision to exclude key players Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman from Nigeria's squad for the upcoming Unity Cup 2025.

According to Chelle, the decision was strategic, aimed at creating opportunities for newer talents to showcase their abilities as Nigeria prepares to face Ghana on May 28 in the tournament opener.

"We have a lot of players in Nigeria, so we need to give chances to them so they can show us their quality," Chelle stated in an interview with NFF Media. "It's difficult for me to talk or think about anything else."

The coach emphasized that the team is working on establishing a distinct identity, which requires integrating players who can adapt quickly to the squad's philosophy.

"We have a project, as a group, we want to create an identity, so we need to put some players who can learn quickly and get into the team," he explained.

In a notable move, Chelle has included 10 players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) in his selection, demonstrating his commitment to tapping into local talent. Veteran forward Ahmed Musa has also been given another opportunity to prove his worth in the national team setup.

The Unity Cup is viewed by the coaching staff as an ideal platform for experimentation ahead of more competitive fixtures later in the year.

"The Unity Cup is a great tournament to try out some players or try out some systems to be ready in September," Chelle concluded, indicating that the tournament forms part of his longer-term strategy for the Super Eagles.

Nigeria's West African rivals Ghana will provide the first test for this experimental Super Eagles squad as the Unity Cup 2025 kicks off on May 28.