Eric Chelle could hardly have asked for a more interesting moment to assess his attacking options. With the Super Eagles preparing for two important AFCON 2027 qualifying matches against Tanzania, Nigerian forwards are finding goals across Europe, from the Turkish Süper Lig to the Dutch Eredivisie and English Premier League.
Victor Osimhen is back in action after missing Nigeria’s previous international window, while Kelechi Iheanacho is enjoying a remarkable scoring run in Turkey. Taiwo Awoniyi has also rediscovered the net at Coventry City, and Tolu Arokodare continues to make his presence felt at Ajax.
But one name is attracting particular attention. Gift Orban has rediscovered his scoring touch at Amedspor, where his latest contribution has placed him alongside Osimhen in the Turkish league scoring standings.
Their numbers have prompted an intriguing question: could the Super Eagles finally have a reason to consider playing both forwards together?
The numbers make the prospect tempting. Yet, before Chelle can seriously consider that partnership, there is an important issue surrounding Orban that Nigeria must resolve.
Osimhen and Orban: a Turkish scoring contest with Nigerian implications
Osimhen has returned to Galatasaray’s attack with the kind of influence that makes him difficult to leave out of Nigeria’s starting line-up.
The 27-year-old scored twice in Galatasaray’s 2–1 Istanbul derby victory over Fenerbahçe on October 26 before finding the net again in the 4–0 win over Konyaspor four days later.
Those contributions took his Turkish Süper Lig tally to nine goals and three assists, giving him 12 goal involvements in the competition.
His return is particularly important for Nigeria after he missed the previous AFCON qualifying window. With the Super Eagles needing points against Tanzania, having their established attacking reference point available again is a significant boost.
However, Osimhen is no longer the only Nigerian striker attracting attention in Turkey.
Orban has been producing equally impressive numbers for newly promoted Amedspor, who have emerged as one of the early surprises in the league.
The 24-year-old scored in Amedspor’s 5–1 victory over Eyüpspor on November 1, taking his league tally to nine goals. He also has four assists, giving him 13 goal contributions after 10 matchweeks.
His contribution against Eyüpspor went beyond the goal. Orban also supplied the assist for Samuel Ballet’s first-half strike as Amedspor moved to second place in the standings, two points behind leaders Galatasaray.
The comparison with Osimhen is striking. Both Nigerians have scored nine league goals, while Orban has registered one more assist.
It is an exciting development for Nigerian football, particularly because the two forwards offer different attacking qualities. Osimhen is an explosive centre-forward who thrives on running beyond defenders, attacking crosses and applying pressure to opposition backlines.
Orban is also a direct goalscorer, capable of finding space and finishing quickly, but can offer another dimension through his movement and willingness to attack the penalty area.
A partnership could give Nigeria two aggressive attacking threats rather than asking one striker to carry the entire goalscoring responsibility.
But there is a complication that makes Orban’s situation different from that of the other forwards under consideration.
The question Chelle must answer before considering Orban
Despite his current form, Orban has never played a senior international match for Nigeria. His first Super Eagles invitation came in September 2023, when José Peseiro included him in the squad for the final 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against São Tomé and Príncipe.
He trained with the team in Uyo but suffered an injury before the match and did not make his debut. Nigeria won 6–0.
That remains his only known senior Super Eagles callup, meaning there is no previous international appearance to use when assessing his experience at this level.
There is also an eligibility issue. In September 2026, PUNCH Sports Extra reported that the Nigeria Football Federation had received a petition from the Togolese Football Federation questioning Orban’s eligibility.
The report noted that no publicly available official records had substantiated the allegation and that Orban had consistently denied representing Togo at senior level.
The same report said claims that the matter had been cleared could not be independently verified on FIFA’s Change of Association Platform.
Orban, who was born in Benue State to a Nigerian father and Togolese mother, has previously made his preference clear, insisting that he wants to represent Nigeria.
This is an important distinction. His goals may make a compelling sporting case, but his availability for selection cannot be assumed until the relevant eligibility questions are settled.
If that hurdle is cleared, however, Chelle would have a serious attacking option to consider alongside Osimhen.
Iheanacho’s extraordinary run is impossible to ignore
While Osimhen and Orban are making headlines in the Turkish top flight, Iheanacho is producing numbers that deserve attention in the country’s second division.
The former Leicester City and Manchester City forward has enjoyed a remarkable start to life at Bursaspor after joining the club as a free agent following his departure from Celtic.
By the end of October, he had scored 16 goals in his first 12 league appearances, finding the net in every league match he had played.
His achievement has been historic. Iheanacho became the first player in Turkish league football history to score in 12 consecutive league appearances, extending a run that had already taken him past the previous record jointly held by Galatasaray legends Metin Oktay and Saffet Sancaklı.
Bursaspor were also top of the TFF First League with 28 points from 12 matches at the time of the report.
The 30-year-old has already spoken about his ambition to help the club win promotion and become a Bursaspor legend.
For Chelle, Iheanacho’s situation presents a different question. His scoring form is difficult to overlook, even if the level of competition must be considered when comparing his numbers with those of players in the top divisions.
He was not selected for Nigeria’s previous AFCON qualifying squad, although he featured in the friendly against Russia in October and scored.
His ability to operate as a central striker or drop deeper to link attacks could offer the Super Eagles another option, particularly when they need someone capable of combining with Osimhen rather than simply competing with him for the same position.
Arokodare is turning his Ajax opportunity into goals
Another forward making a strong case is Tolu Arokodare, whose progress at Ajax has been particularly encouraging.
The Nigerian scored the only goal in Saturday’s 1–0 victory over AZ Alkmaar, heading home Abdellah Ouazane’s cross in the ninth minute.
That goal took his tally to 10 in 15 appearances across all competitions, with three assists also recorded during his early spell in Amsterdam.
Arokodare reached the double-figure milestone as quickly as Steven Bergwijn did after joining Ajax in 2022. Across the past decade, Bergwijn is the only other Ajax player to have reached his first 10 goals for the club in as few as 15 appearances.
The 25-year-old’s contribution is becoming increasingly important, especially as Ajax continue to rely on his ability to provide a physical presence in the penalty area.
He also offers something valuable to the national team: an alternative centre-forward profile. His height, aerial ability and capacity to occupy defenders could become useful when Nigeria face opponents who defend deep or protect their penalty area with numbers.
With Osimhen available again, Arokodare may have to compete for a starting position, but his form makes him a serious candidate for the squad.
Awoniyi’s Coventry revival adds another option
Taiwo Awoniyi has also given Chelle something to consider after ending his wait for a Premier League goal at Coventry City.
The forward scored in Coventry’s 3–1 victory over Sunderland on October 31, opening his league account for the campaign.
It was an important contribution for a striker who had experienced a difficult start to the season, with limited opportunities and Coventry struggling to find consistency.
Awoniyi’s strength, pace and willingness to run behind defensive lines make him a different proposition from some of the other forwards in the selection discussion.
He can stretch opposition defences, contest physical battles and provide an outlet when Nigeria need to move quickly from defence into attack.
His goal against Sunderland may not yet represent a sustained scoring revival, but it offers a timely reminder of what he can bring when given opportunities.
Ilenikhena and Usor have already made their introductions
Nigeria’s previous international window also introduced two new attacking options who made an immediate impression.
George Ilenikhena marked his Super Eagles debut with a stoppage-time equaliser against Madagascar in Uyo. The 20-year-old came into the national team after an encouraging start to life at Al-Ittihad, where he had already attracted attention in the Saudi Pro League.
His early-season form included a match-winning brace against Al-Nassr, taking his league tally to four goals after the opening seven rounds at the time of his debut.
Ilenikhena’s ability to attack space and his instinct inside the penalty area offer Nigeria another young forward with room to develop.
Moses Usor also made his senior debut against Madagascar, although his introduction proved even more decisive.
The LASK forward came off the bench and scored the winner in Nigeria’s 2–1 comeback victory, driving forward from deep before finishing to secure all three points.
His performance demonstrated the value of having attackers who can change the pace of a match from the bench. Rather than being restricted to the central striker role, Usor can provide width, direct running and one-on-one threat.
Both players have already shown that they can contribute at international level, even though their experience with the national team remains limited.
Onuachu remains an option, but his current numbers tell a different story
Paul Onuachu completes the list of established centre-forward options. The Trabzonspor striker enjoyed an outstanding previous campaign, scoring 22 goals in 30 Süper Lig appearances.
That record established him as one of the most productive Nigerian forwards in Europe last season.
His current campaign, however, has been less prolific. By November 1, he had scored twice in the Turkish league, both goals coming in the 5–0 victory over Gençlerbirliği on September 6. He also featured in Trabzonspor’s 2–0 win over Gaziantep on November 1.
The 32-year-old still offers a profile that few of Nigeria’s other forwards can replicate. His height, aerial strength and ability to bring teammates into play can be valuable against physically imposing opponents.
But compared with the scoring momentum enjoyed by Osimhen, Orban, Iheanacho and Arokodare, Onuachu has more work to do to make an overwhelming case for a starting role.
His experience and previous record nevertheless keep him in the conversation.
Chelle’s sweet headache ahead of Tanzania
Nigeria’s November double-header against Tanzania could be decisive in shaping the direction of Group L.
The Super Eagles have three points from their opening two matches after beating Madagascar 2–1 in Uyo and losing 3–0 away to Guinea-Bissau.
With Guinea-Bissau already on six points, Nigeria cannot afford another setback. Six points from the two Tanzania matches would take Chelle’s side to nine and put them in a much stronger position before the final two fixtures in March.
The attacking options available to the coach offer several possible solutions.
Osimhen remains the obvious reference point, but Iheanacho’s extraordinary scoring run, Arokodare’s progress at Ajax and Awoniyi’s return to the scoresheet provide competition.
Ilenikhena and Usor have also given Chelle fresh attacking possibilities, while Onuachu offers a different physical dimension.
Orban, meanwhile, is perhaps the most intriguing case. His numbers make a partnership with Osimhen an exciting prospect, but his eligibility must be clarified before that discussion can become a realistic selection decision.
If the administrative hurdle is resolved, Nigeria could have two of the Turkish Süper Lig’s most productive forwards available to lead their attack.
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