Former Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni has raised concerns over the Super Eagles’ midfield composition ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, warning that the team lacks a creative passer capable of dictating play.

Speaking candidly on the Home Turf podcast, the retired striker said Nigeria’s midfield is overly defensive and missing a player in the mould of former captain Sunday Oliseh.

Head coach Eric Chelle has selected eight midfielders in his 28-man squad for Morocco, including Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Tochukwu Nnadi, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Usman Muhammed.

Yakubu noted that, aside from Iwobi, most of the midfielders are more inclined toward ball recovery than creativity.

“We need a proper midfielder who can pass the ball. We have too many defensive midfielders,” Yakubu said. “Ndidi and Onyeka mostly pass sideways. We were lucky Ndidi played that ball to Ejuke against Gabon.”

He lamented the absence of a player who can switch play, dominate possession and control the tempo.

“I don’t want to go back to our days, but we had Oliseh—someone who could pass and dictate the game. That’s what we are lacking now. We don’t dominate matches,” he added.

Nigeria, three-time AFCON champions, will face Tunisia, Tanzania and Uganda in Group C, and Yakubu believes addressing the midfield imbalance could be decisive in determining how far the Super Eagles go.