Two-time African champions Enyimba of Aba are set to lose several of their top stars for the coming season after they failed to win a major trophy this past term.

‘The People’s Elephant’ crashed out in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, they were beaten by regional rivals Heartland in the Nigeria Federation Cup and finished a disappointing seventh on the Nigeria Premier League table.

This will therefore be the first time in several years that Enyimba will not feature in any continental competition.

The Aba club star striker Uche Kalu is on the verge of signing for top Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca, while left back Valentine Nwaebili is set to move to Sudanese club Al Hilal.

Both Wydad and Al Hilal battled Enyimba in this year’s CAF Champions League.

Kalu, 25, rose through the ranks at hometown club Enyimba. Two seasons ago, his future was in tatters following a major ankle injury that sidelined him for six months. He bounced back last season to fire four goals in the Champions league this year.

Winger Philip Auta is also set to move to Europe, while goalkeeper Chijoke Ejoigu will have to look elsewhere on account of disciplinary problems.

Olympic international defender Markson Ojobo is also most sought after by at least three clubs more for his displays in the Champions League than his performance for the U-23 team at the 2012 qualifiers in Morocco.

The six-time Nigerian champions have retained only 20 of their 42-man squad from last season.

“We know that we will not be able to keep some of the best players or even attract some of the best players in the league this coming season because we are not playing international football next season,” a top club official informed MTNFootball.com

“We are prepared for this so-called exodus and so we will not be taken unawares.”