Emmanuel Dennis sees the Africa Cup pass by. The 24-year-old Nigerian, one of the revelations in the Premier League this season, is not allowed by Watford to the country tournament, which starts on January 9. The reason for this is that the Nigerian Football Association would have informed Watford too late that Dennis was in the pre-selection. Nigeria confirms Friday afternoon that Dennis is not going to the Africa Cup.
Dennis surprises friend and foe in the Premier League this season. The center striker did not score a single league goal at FC Köln and Club Brugge last season, but has completely found his niche at Watford. Dennis is in absolute top form and has produced no fewer than six goals and four assists in his last eight league matches. In total, he has eight goals in sixteen games this season.
His outstanding performance did not go unnoticed in Nigeria either. Dennis did not play for his country for more than a year, but is now allowed to participate in the Africa Cup. “Proud to be called up to represent my country,” Dennis said on Twitter four days ago. It will not come to that, however, as Watford will keep the attacker in England.
The number seventeen of the Premier League states that Nigeria was too late in sending the preliminary selection containing Dennis. “The e-mail did not arrive in time,” Watford manager Claudio Ranieri, who does not want to give up his striker, told The Athletic. “There is a certain deadline for handing in the preliminary selection. If it is not met, the club can choose.”