Eric Chelle Wants Chelsea Star to Play for Super Eagles Despite Initial Rejection
- Super Eagles boss Eric Chelle is preparing to announce his squad for his first game since he was appointed
- Nigeria will face Rwanda and Zimbabwe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on March 21 and 25
- Chelle has reportedly contacted a Chelsea defender over playing for the Eagles, despite previously rejecting
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Eric Chelle has reportedly been in contact with a Chelsea star over playing for the Super Eagles despite initially rebuffing previous attempts to switch his nationality.
The Nigerian Football Federation have been working tirelessly for years to get players with Nigerian heritage to switch their international allegiance and play for the country.
Source: Getty Images
The federation succeeded with some, among whom a few have become household names in Nigerian and African football, while others refused the chance to play for the Super Eagles.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong and reigning African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman are two of the success examples the NFF can brag about.
There are ongoing discussions with many others, particularly those of English and French connections playing in the top European leagues.
Chelle in contact with Adarabioyo
One of the high-profile names the federation have been working on for some time now is Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who has yet to play for England at the senior level.
Adarabioyo has turned down multiple attempts in the past, even before he joined Chelsea as a free agent in the summer after running down his Fulham contract.
There have been reports recently that he is now open to playing for Nigeria, even though nothing has materialised, particularly since October when it was first reported.
According to OwnGoal Nigeria, Eric Chelle met and held a discussion with the Manchester City Academy graduate during his recent trip to England.
The conversation is reportedly geared towards having him in the squad with the Eagles facing a possible defensive crisis with top stars facing a race to be fit.
Experienced defender and West Brom star Semi Ajayi is ruled out of the games after suffering a repeat of his hamstring injury after returning to the pitch after four months.
Adarabioyo got fans thinking he had decided to switch last year after sharing pictures of himself at Chelsea training on his X account and captioning it “odogwu”.
He represented England at youth levels within the age groups between 16 and 19 and has yet to play international football since 2015 as he awaits a Three Lions call-up that has yet to arrive.
His move to Chelsea could have boosted his chances, but most of his appearances have been limited to the Cup games and had Premier League opportunities after injuries to Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah.
Source: Getty Images
Chelsea reportedly had the opportunity to cash in on him in January, barely six months after signing him, when Brighton made an offer that could profit the Blues.
Ekong sends message to Adarabioyo
Legit.ng previously reported that Ekong sent message to Adarabioyo and others over representing Nigeria after sharing how playing for the country has helped his career.
Ekong played for the Netherlands at youth levels before he switched his international allegiance to represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria when he was 21.
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Source: Legit.ng
