Kanu cleared for Uefa semi

Kanu: Will line up to face Lens on Thursday

Nigeria have agreed to release Arsenal star Kanu for Thursday's Uefa Cup semi-final against Lens at Highbury.

Chelsea have yet to be granted a similar dispensation by the Nigerian Football Assocition for Celestine Babayaro.

He is needed for the Blues' European Cup quarter-final against Barcelona on Wednesday.

We are still hoping Baba will be free to play against Barcelona but we have heard nothing from Nigeria yet

Gwyn Williams, Chelsea assistant manager

Both players were called up for the Super Eagles' World Cup qualifier against Eritrea on Sunday.

Fifa rules stipulate that a country can require its players to be present for the five days prior to a competitve international match.

But Nigeria have decided to waive this right in the case of Kanu, which the Gunners say has been confirmed by fax.

Arsenal and Chelsea have clashed with the Nigerian FA before when Kanu and Babayaro were late back from the African Nations Cup finals in January. Both players were fined by their clubs.

Babayaro: Waiting for clearance

Chelsea are still waiting to hear if Babayaro will be available to them.

He was excused from playing in an under-23 international match earlier this year after the intervention of Nigeria's sports minister John Fashanu, the former Wimbledon, Aston Villa and England striker.

Chelsea's assistant manager Gwyn Williams said: "We are still hoping Baba will be free to play against Barcelona, but we have heard nothing from Nigeria yet.

"It seems strange because our game is 24 hours earlier than Arsenal's match and we know they have been given the go-ahead to play Kanu."