Over the course of his short tenure, Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has been determined to lower the average age of the Super Eagles, and is working actively to achieve that ambition ahead of their friendly against Corsica on Friday.
Core players like captain John Mikel Obi (30), Victor Moses (26), Ogenyi Onazi (24), Ahmed Musa (24), Brown Ideye (28), Odion Ighalo (27), as well as goalkeepers Carl Ikeme (30), Daniel Akpeyi (30), and Ikechukwu Ezenwa (28) are all over that 23-year band, but Rohr is gradually replacing them with younger, fresher versions.
Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi, at only 20, is expected to eventually pick up Mikel's mantle, though he will miss this match after failing to catch his flight out of Nigeria. Alex Iwobi (21) has already leapfrogged Ahmed Musa, and Kelechi Iheanacho (20) jumps ahead of Ighalo and Ideye.
Meanwhile, despite being a constant feature in Rohr's squad, the coach does not seem to completely trust Ezenwa in goal. This much was made clear when Ikeme unexpectedly withdrew from the squad last year.
Rather than hand over the goalkeeping responsibility to Ezenwa, Rohr called up Akpeyi from South Africa's Chippa United and started him ahead of the FC Ifeanyi Ubah goalie.
And now, 20-year-old Dele Alampasu, of Portugal's FC Cesarense, is emerging as a viable, long-term replacement.
In defence, Elderson Echiejile (29) and Leon Balogun (27), the latter of whom is injured and will not feature here, are the only two oldies. With the exception of 24-year-old Shehu Abdullahi, all the others are 23 and younger.
Upfront, Rohr can call on an embarrassment of young riches once he removes Ighalo and Ideye from the equation. It is a process that has already started, with Iheanacho, Iwobi, and Victor Moses appearing to be his preferred front three.
Ideally, with all players fit and available, Rohr's best starting team would have Ikeme in goal; Echiejile and Balogun in defense; Mikel and Onazi in midfield; and Moses at forward.
That would be six of his starting XI, with the possibility - depending on circumstances - of Ighalo taking that number to seven.
So far, the coach has not had the opportunity to go all gung-ho with his budding starlets without extensive cover of their older and more experienced team-mates.
Until now. There is little riding on the friendly match against Corsica, or even a week after that against Togo. So this provides a fantastic opportunity for Rohr to send out his young guns and see how they stack up against decent opposition.
With the exception of Ezenwa, Ogu, and Echiejile, the rest of the 'senior citizens' have been left out of the squad.
This suggests that Rohr finally wants to give his kiddos the run-out he has been angling for since he began the job last August, and Nigerians will get a chance to see what the talented bunch of youngsters can actually do.
And what a bunch that would be, in an ideal world without missed flights and injuries. Alampasu in goal, Ebuehi, Agbo, Awaziem and Troost Ekong in defense. Ndidi, Etebo, and Mikel Agu in midfield. Arsenal target Henry Onyekuru could lead the front three with any two out of Isaac Success, Noah Bazee, Victor Osimhen, and Stephen Odey flanking him.
With a potential average age of under 21, it would arguably be the youngest ever squad fielded by the Super Eagles.
With the opportunity to win places in the main squad up for grabs, it would also be the most motivated squad ever to turn out for a friendly match for Nigeria.
The prospect should have Rohr licking his lips, and if it turns out as well as he hopes, will have his AFCON qualifying opposition quaking in their boots.
POTENTIAL STARTING XI
Alampasu, 20
Ebuehi 21, Troost Ekong 23, Uche Agbo 21, Awaziem 20
Etebo 21, Mikel Agu 23, Alhassan Ibrahim 20
Osimhen18, Noah Bazee 20/Success 21, Onyekuru 19/Odey 19