Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis will not play in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Nigerian Football Federation said his club are “baring fangs”.
Nigeria have been hit by a double blow to their attack after Dennis and Napoli’s top goalscorer Victor Osimhen both dropped out of their squad for the tournament in Cameroon.
Dennis is not being released by Watford because the Nigerian federation did not request him for the tournament in time, with the federation releasing a statement on Friday.
“In-form rapid raider Emmanuel Dennis, whose English Premiership club is baring fangs, has been excused to provide room for Czech Republic-based forward Peter Olayinka,” Nigeria’s official account said on Instagram.
Watford manager Claudio Ranieri earlier this week revealed Nigeria missed the deadline to inform Watford of their intention to select him, giving the club the power to decide whether to release the 24-year-old striker for international duty.
Speaking on Friday ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Tottenham, Ranieri insisted Watford are not being disrespectful towards AFCON and that Dennis has accepted the decision to keep him at Vicarage Road.
“No, no, no – we respect everybody,” Ranieri said. “They (Nigeria) have a lot of players, and they changed the manager then they change everything, and then we were ready.
“We knew we were ready to give the players, but they didn’t do this. And then the two boards spoke and then for me it’s OK.
“I’ve spoken with him (Dennis). Of course he wanted to go, to play, but he also wanted to help Watford.
“I accept the decision of the board and the Nigeria team.”
Osimhen is also out of Nigeria’s squad after contracting Covid. He suffered facial fractures playing for Napoli in November in a clash of heads with Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar and required titanium plates and screws fixed to his cheekbone and eye socket.
His club said he would be out for three months but the forward returned to training just before Christmas, wearing a protective mask, and travelled to Nigeria last week.
But he has now contracted the virus for a second time and has gone into isolation in Nigeria, cancelling a trip back to Italy for a further check-up on his cheekbone.
The 23-year-old is asymptomatic, according to a statement by his club Napoli.
Nigeria have called up Peter Olayinka from Czech club Slavia Prague and Olympiakos winger Henry Onyekuru to replace the two forwards while Semi Ajayi from West Brom and Tyrone Ebuehi, who plays at Venezia in Serie A, come in as defenders.
Nigeria play their first Group D game against Egypt in Garoua on January 11.
