Nigeria interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen has revealed Watford threatened star forward Emmanuel Dennis about the Africa Cup of Nations.
Dennis, 24, was called up to the Super Eagles squad after Gernot Rohr’s sacking after being overlooked for selection by the German due to an alleged fallout.
However, the Hornets claimed the call-up was submitted after the deadline. But Dennis is said to have been threatened about leaving the relegation-threatened Premier League side.
“Dennis told me that his club had done everything humanly possible for him not be at Afcon,” Eguavoen said.
“I can’t force it, I reported the matter to the authority and they also tried, that was why we had to wait until the last second before we pushed the button.
“Dennis said he wanted to come but the club is threatening him. What do we do if a player does not want to come? We have to play with what we have.”
However, the Hornets coach Claudio Ranieri said it was Dennis decision to remain at the club during the month of January.
“Now I spoke with him, of course, he wanted to go to play, but also he wanted to help Watford,” he told the media after their defeat against Tottenham on Friday.
Dennis has scored eight goals and registered five assists in 17 games in the English top-flight since his €4-million transfer from Club Brugge in the off-season.
