Plymouth Argyle forward Owen Oseni’s Nigeria AFCON dream in doubt after injury setback

Plymouth Argyle forward Owen Oseni’s hopes of earning a Nigeria call-up for next month’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have suffered a major setback after he picked up a thigh injury in training.

The 23-year-old was expected to be in contention for the Super Eagles squad for their crucial Group C meetings with Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, but his latest injury could now leave him waiting for another opportunity to establish himself at international level.

Oseni sustained the injury ahead of Plymouth Argyle’s opening competitive fixture of the season against Exeter City and was subsequently omitted from the matchday squad.

The attacker is not expected to return until the first week of September, a timeline that could work against his chances of being selected by Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers.

Chelle decision could come too soon

Chelle is expected to finalize his squad before Oseni is likely to regain full fitness, leaving the forward facing a race against time to make the cut.

The timing is particularly frustrating for Oseni, who had already taken an important step towards becoming a permanent member of the Nigeria setup after committing his international future to the three-time African champions.

Born in Waterford, Oseni is eligible to represent Ireland, Nigeria and Ivory Coast but has chosen Nigeria and holds a Nigerian passport.

His decision was rewarded earlier this year when he was included in Nigeria’s squad for the 2026 Unity Cup.

Oseni made his Super Eagles debut in the tournament, coming off the bench as Nigeria opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe.

September fixtures could have sealed his future

The Plymouth forward now faces uncertainty over his immediate international prospects, despite being only one competitive appearance away from becoming officially tied to Nigeria.

Should Oseni receive a call-up and feature in either of Nigeria’s September qualifiers against Madagascar or Guinea-Bissau, he would become cap-tied to the Super Eagles under the relevant international eligibility rules.

However, his injury means that opportunity could arrive too soon for the former youth international, particularly if Chelle opts to rely on fully fit forwards for the qualifiers.

Oseni’s absence could also have implications for his club future. With his expected return falling in the first week of September, the transfer window is likely to have closed by the time he is fit to resume competitive action.

That would make a move away from Plymouth Argyle increasingly unlikely during the first half of the season, leaving Oseni to concentrate on recovering from the injury and forcing his way back into Chelle’s plans.