Femi Azeez and Owen Oseni are two of the more intriguing names in Eric Chelle's latest Super Eagles squad, selected for the Unity Cup 2026 as Nigeria casts a wider net in search of fresh attacking options. Alongside goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, the pair form part of a deliberate effort to broaden the tactical palette available to the national team beyond its established attacking core.

Nigeria face Zimbabwe, India, and Jamaica in the Unity Cup before June friendlies against Poland and Portugal. Though familiar names such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfred Ndidi, and Alex Iwobi remain in the broader picture, the tactical conversation around this window revolves heavily around what Azeez and Oseni can bring to Chelle's evolving system.

They are not the only new arrivals — forward Zadok Yohanna and midfielder Samson Tijani also feature among the debutants — but the data behind these two players reveals two distinct and potentially complementary weapons Nigeria could soon deploy.

Azeez's ball-carrying threat from wide areas

At 24, Femi Azeez has grown into an increasingly important attacking presence at Millwall FC, building his game around aggressive ball progression and consistent penetration of defensive structures from wide positions. His profile is defined not by isolated dribbling moments alone, but by the cumulative effect of actions that continuously drive his team into advanced territory.

Azeez's most consistent contribution comes through ball-carrying from the right side. Once in possession, he accelerates directly into spaces that force defensive units to reshape — preferring to destabilise opposition lines through movement rather than recycling the ball or slowing attacks down.

Much of his influence is felt in the right half-space, operating between the opposition full-back and centre-back. From that position, he creates constant uncertainty because his decision-making is unpredictable: he can drive to the byline, combine with midfield runners centrally, or release passes into the penalty area. That range of options from a single zone removes the comfort of structured marking for defenders.

His crossing and final-pass data reinforce the same attacking intent. Azeez avoids high-volume crossing, instead selecting moments where his delivery can immediately alter defensive positioning — either forcing recovery runs or pulling defenders away from central zones. For Nigeria, this quality is particularly valuable against teams that limit access through the middle and sit in compact defensive blocks.

Samuel Chukwueze still offers proven explosiveness and international experience, but the data indicates Azeez provides a more rounded contribution. Azeez appears superior in dribbling and run quality, creating more opportunities through movement and technique, while his playmaking ability stands out even as overall passing quality between the two is comparable. Chukwueze edges Azeez in general passage-of-play involvement, but Azeez's ability to generate threats and manufacture chances gives him a strong case.

His defensive contribution remains less developed, particularly in sustained pressing phases, which suggests a specialised role within the Super Eagles structure — one that prioritises his attacking output while midfield cover, provided by the likes of Ndidi, shields against transitions. In that context, Azeez offers Nigeria a direct method of advancing play that does not depend on structured buildup, which becomes especially useful when rhythm is disrupted or play is forced wide.

Oseni's penalty-box instinct offers a different solution

Owen Oseni presents a completely different attacking profile. Playing for Plymouth Argyle this season, his game is built around efficiency in goal-scoring areas rather than possession involvement, and his impact is best understood through positioning and shot execution rather than buildup contribution.

Oseni's most notable quality is the calibre of his shooting positions. His expected goals per shot profile indicates he consistently finds himself in high-value locations before pulling the trigger — central areas inside the penalty box where conversion rates are naturally higher, rather than low-probability efforts from distance or wide angles.

That efficiency is closely tied to his movement off the ball. Oseni repeatedly times his runs behind defensive lines, targeting the right half-space and the central zones around the six-yard area. These movements are often subtle, arriving in space after defenders have shifted their focus to the ball carrier.

His type of forward does not need continuous touches to influence a match — instead, he leverages the timing of a limited number of actions. When defensive concentration drops or dangerous deliveries arrive, his positioning allows him to convert small windows into direct goal threats.

His limitations, however, are clear. His hold-up play under physical pressure is weak, reducing his effectiveness when a striker must connect midfield and attack during buildup. His aerial presence is limited, and his pressing contribution is minimal — making him poorly suited to systems that demand high defensive output from forwards.

These constraints position Oseni as a situational forward rather than a regular starter: a specialist whose primary value is penalty-box efficiency. Within Chelle's structure, he would be most effective in matches where Nigeria generate sustained pressure and require a finisher capable of converting the chances that sustained attacks produce.