Moses Simon looks set to wear the Nigerian captain’s armband when the Super Eagles take on the Black Stars later this month in a Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier, barring any last-minute change.
Leon Balogun and Wilfred Ndidi are also in contention for the role, it was also learnt.
Simon is one of the 32 players called up by Austin Eguavoen for the tie billed for the Cape Coast stadium on March 25 with the reverse fixture poised for the Moshood Abiola Stadium.
Team captain Ahmed Musa is not a starter despite making the squad and his vice, William Troost-Ekong, remains a huge doubt after Watford manager Roy Hodgson ruled him out of action for an unforeseeable future due to a muscle injury he sustained in training.
Though the defender, through his Instagram story page on Saturday, labeled the reports “fake news.”
A team source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Nantes winger, who captained the Eagles in their pre-AFCON friendly against Coton Sport Garoua, Cameroon in January, is one of the top candidates to lead the team out if Musa and Troost-Ekong don’t start the games.
“The Eagles have leaders in the team and he (Simon) is one of them,” the source said.
“In the absence of Musa and Troost-Ekong, Simon looks more to take the armband, except the coaches decide otherwise from the team’s hierarchy.”
Meanwhile, Simon is hoping Nantes will end their trophy drought when they face Nice in the final of the Coupe de France.
The Canaries last won a major title — the Trophée des Champions in 2001. The Trophée des Champions in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France.
“It is going to be a plus for my career, to win a trophy with FC Nantes.
“I strongly believe this is our year, we hope to replicate that form in the finals of the cup game. We remain humble in victory, we want to end the season-high and perhaps pick Europa League ticket.
“We are on course presently, we are in the seventh position on the log and we are in the finals of the cup game. It has been an amazing season so far, having scored three goals and seven assists.”