NFF wants Cote d’Ivoire and Italy friendlies for Super Eagles

The Nigeria Football Federation is proposing international friendlies against Italy and African champions Cote d’Ivoire next year, the federation’s president has said.

Amaju Pinnick told africanFootball.com that the NFF match agent has already began discussions with both teams for the friendlies to prepare the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup and 2017 African Nations Cup qualifiers.

“Nothing has been concluded yet but we wish to play reigning African champions Cote d’Ivoire in London. There is a proposal to play the Italians, who are excited about playing Nigeria after we defeated Cameroon recently,” Pinnick told africanFootball.com.

“We want to make the most every FIFA friendly window by playing top quality matches.”

There will be two FIFA friendly windows in the first half of the new year, at the end of March, when Nigeria battle Egypt in 2017 AFCON qualifiers home and away and then between June 8 and 16.