Salim Lawal will not be part of the Unity Cup in London this month, dealing a fresh setback to Eric Chelle as he looks to reshape the Super Eagles squad.

The Czech-based forward has been ruled out for the rest of the 2025–2026 season, according to reports from Plzeňský deník, Footballrover reports.

Salim Lawal injury setback disrupts Unity Cup plans

That timeline effectively ends his chances of featuring at the Unity Cup and in upcoming international friendlies against Poland and Portugal.

The tournament was expected to offer Lawal yet another opportunity to prove himself at senior level after a limited role during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

He made just a brief one-minute appearance on his competitive debut against Uganda and was otherwise left on the bench.

Eric Chelle forced to rethink attacking options

Chelle had planned to use the Unity Cup to assess fringe players and talents of Nigerian descent, making Lawal’s absence a missed opportunity for both player and coach.

The striker has not played for FC Viktoria Plzeň since suffering an early injury in a league clash with Bohemians 1905. The setback also ruled him out of Nigeria’s March fixtures against Iran and Jordan.

Before the injury, Lawal showed promise at club level, scoring twice in nine appearances for Viktoria Plzeň.

His absence now leaves a gap in Chelle’s attacking pool as preparations continue.

Lawal is not the only concern. Cyriel Dessers has also been ruled out after a season-ending injury, further limiting options in attack ahead of the London tournament.

For Chelle, the Unity Cup remains a key platform to evaluate depth, but the absence of players like Lawal reduces the number of attacking profiles available for assessment.

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Last Updated on May 2, 2026 7:42 am by footballrover