We will be stronger — Fulham boss delighted to have Super Eagles stars back from AFCON

Despite losing three of their best players, Fulham have been consistent in the Premier League, losing just one of their last seven matches without their Nigerian contingent.

However, Silva admits that the return of the trio, all of whom were in exceptional form before departing for Morocco, will be a massive boost for the final four months of the season.

Prior to the tournament, the three Super Eagles stars had become integral to Silva’s starting XI. Most notably, Samuel Chukwueze left West London on a high after a breathtaking performance in Fulham’s narrow 5-4 defeat to Manchester City in December.

The winger, who has been criticised for his penalty miss against Morocco in the AFCON semi-final, came off the bench to score a stunning second-half brace that nearly inspired one of the greatest comebacks in Premier League history.

Speaking ahead of Fulham’s clash with Leeds United, Silva emphasized how much the squad's ceiling rises with their return.

“This is the last game the three players at AFCON will miss…,” Silva said, per Jack Kelly.

“When you have all the squad available, you're going to be stronger as a team. Like when Kenny, King or Muniz will be back – they will be very important for us.”

Nigeria concluded their AFCON journey with a third-place play-off against Egypt on Saturday. With the tournament now behind them, Bassey, Iwobi, and Chukwueze are expected to fly back to London together immediately.

The timing is ideal for Silva, as the trio should be fully available for selection when Fulham hosts Brighton at Craven Cottage on January 24.