Rivers United are targeting 16 new players after retaining 21 others for the new season.
The Garden City side which finished as runners up at the just-ended Nigeria Professional Football League season, will represent Nigeria in next year’s CAF Champions League.
Among the players retained are skipper Festus Austin, veteran goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi, Idris Aloma, Ghanaian striker Godbless Asamoah and his Ivorian counterpart Guy Kuemian.
Others are Markson Ojobo, Obomate Frederick, Hassan Babangida, Patrick Kingsley, Chinonso Okonkwo and Jaiyeola Yusuf.
Their top transfer targets include Esosa Igbinoba and Ifeanyi Nweke from Federation Cup finalists Nasarawa United, Prince Aggrey of Kano Pillars, as well as Gabriel Wassa from Niger Tornadoes.
‘The Pride of Rivers’ are due to undertake a training tour of Spain in the middle of next month.
Coach Stanley Eguma also disclosed that they plan friendly matches against clubs in Ghana, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire.
