Why NFF Is Yet To Approach Arsenal Wonderkid To Play for Super Eagles Despite Nigeria Links
- The Nigeria Football Federation and Alex Iwobi have not contacted Ethan Nwaneri or his family about switching to Nigeria
- Nwaneri has played for England at U16, U17, and U19 levels and captained the Young Lions in 2024
- Nigeria continues to search for a creative playmaker after missing out on Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise
Arsenal’s teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri remains a potential option for the Super Eagles, but neither the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) nor its representatives have formally approached him regarding a switch from England to Nigeria.
The 17-year-old teenager has been a revelation for Mikel Arteta's men this season, winning the hearts of several Gunners fans with his superb performances.
Source: Getty Images
According to TransferMarkt, Nwaneri has scored seven goals for Arsenal after 23 appearances for the North London club this season.
Newly appointed Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has enlisted Alex Iwobi, also a graduate of Arsenal’s Hale End Academy, to use his connections to persuade Nwaneri to consider playing for Nigeria.
Despite these speculations, there has been no direct contact between the NFF and Nwaneri's family, and the young midfielder continues to develop his career with England’s youth teams.
No contact yet from Nigeria Football Federation
Although Nwaneri qualifies to play for Nigeria through his father, Obi Nwaneri, no discussions have taken place regarding his potential switch.
Sources close to the player confirmed that neither the NFF nor Iwobi has reached out to the family.
Nwaneri is two goals away from equalling the prodigious scoring record set by England legends Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney, 90MIN reports.
While Obi Nwaneri is familiar with Iwobi from his time at Arsenal, the two have never spoken directly about Ethan’s international future. This suggests that any potential move to the Super Eagles remains in its early stages, if at all a possibility.
At just 17, Nwaneri has already gained recognition at the youth level, having represented England at U16, U17, and U19 levels.
In 2024, the Arsenal youngster captained the England U19 team in multiple matches, further solidifying his place in their youth system.
Nwaneri’s England ties and Nigeria’s midfield search
While Nwaneri is still eligible to switch allegiance to Nigeria, he is provisionally cap-tied to England after appearing in a UEFA U17 European Championship qualifier against Lithuania in 2022.
If the 17-year-old decides to play for the Super Eagles, he would need to apply for a one-time switch with FIFA.
Nigeria has been actively scouting midfield talent across Europe, particularly after missing out on Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, both of whom chose to represent England and France, respectively.
With Nwaneri's rapid rise at Arsenal, the NFF may still try to convince him to join the Super Eagles in the future, but for now, no official efforts have been made.
Chelle set to shake-up Super Eagles
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Eric Chelle may be planning to hand maiden call-ups to LOSC Lille star Chuba Akpom and Getafe midfielder Chrisantus Uche.
The new Super Eagles boss is considering a call-up for in-form Bayer Leverkusen star Nathan Tella.
Coach Chelle emphasized his focus on calling up players who are in form, rather than relying on the traditional names fans have become accustomed to in recent years.
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Source: Legit.ng
