Moses Simon is set to lead a new-look Super Eagles side when Nigeria face Russia in an international friendly next Tuesday.
The Paris FC winger was among the Nigerian players who departed Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for Moscow on Thursday night.
Home-based players Chibuzor Atata, Aderemi Adeoye and Kenneth Igboke were also part of the travelling squad.
Simon is expected to provide leadership after captain Wilfred Ndidi withdrew from the game. He is now the most experienced player in the squad.
Head coach Éric Chelle has opted for a blend of established players and fresh faces as he continues to assess his options ahead of upcoming international assignments.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is included alongside defenders Emmanuel Fernandez, Benjamin Fredrick and Bright Osayi-Samuel.
Raphael Onyedika and Akor Adams are also part of the squad.
Chelle has further strengthened the attack with the return of experienced forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who has enjoyed a positive start to his spell with Turkish side Bursaspor.
Several players are in line for their senior international debuts against Russia. They include Akpe Victory, Suleiman Mubarak, Peter Edokpolor, Abdullahi Umar and Chibuzo Nwoko.
The match will be played at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
It will be the second meeting between Nigeria and Russia in 16 months, with Chelle expected to use the fixture to assess his squad and give several players valuable international experience.
