Middlesbrough Defender Set to Snub England, Germany in Favour of Super Eagles: Report
- The allure of the Super Eagles of Nigeria appears to have reached its highest point in recent years
- Several players of Nigerian descent have wasted little time declaring their interest in the Super Eagles team
- A report detailing that a Middlesbrough full-back has made the choice to represent Nigeria has recently surfaced
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The Super Eagles of Nigeria continue to attract several talents across Europe’s footballing scenes.
In recent years, several players of Nigerian descent have declared and subsequently switched their international allegiance to don the green and white of the Super Eagles.
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From elite performers in the English Premier League, such as Ola Aina, to players like Joshua Maja, who have struggled to make a lasting impact, a growing number of talented stars—many eligible to represent other nations—have opted to commit to Nigeria.
The latest player who appears set to join the lengthy list of those keen to represent Nigeria is full-back, George Gitau.
The Middlesbrough right-back has reportedly declared his interest in representing Nigeria, according to a recent report courtesy of AllNigeriaSoccer.
George Gitau declares interest in representing Nigeria
According to the report, the promising Middlesbrough right-back has reportedly made a decision regarding his international future.
Born in Hamburg, the 21-year-old defender is a quad-national, eligible to represent Nigeria, England, Germany, and Kenya at the international level.
Gitau qualifies for Nigeria's Super Eagles through his father and Kenya’s Harambee Stars via his mother. He is also eligible for England’s Three Lions due to residency, having lived in the country for several years.
Despite these options, Gitau is prioritising representing Nigeria over Germany, England, and Kenya and has expressed a willingness to honour a call-up from the Super Eagles if approached by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Kenya’s Football Kenya Federation (FKF) are also closely monitoring his development and recently included him in a provisional squad for the 2024 COSAFA Cup in South Africa.
Gitau began his football journey in grassroots football after moving from Germany to England at the age of six. He joined Arsenal’s academy at nine and later had stints at Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion before settling at Middlesbrough in 2020.
Combining physicality with technical ability, Gitau is a versatile right-back who excels both defensively and offensively. Among his standout attributes is his impressive goal-scoring prowess for a defender.
According to data courtesy of Fotmob, Gitau netted five goals during his time with Middlesbrough's academy, underlining his ability to make an impact in the attacking third.
EPL star who snubbed Nigeria for Italy laments
Legit.ng, in another report, detailed how Leicester City defender, Caleb Okoli, who opted to represent the Italian national team over Nigeria, had expressed frustration over his lack of playing time for the Azzurri.
The former Atalanta defender, who joined the Premier League outfit in the summer of 2024, was handed a call-up to the Italian national team in August. However, he is yet to make an appearance for the 2006 FIFA World Cup winners.
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Source: Legit.ng
