Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Eyes Dutch-Born Star Based in France To Play for Nigeria
- Eric Chelle has reportedly reached out to Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha over a Super Eagles switch
- Emegha, who was born in the Netherlands, is eligible for Nigeria and Togo internationally
- Talks with Emegha are expected in France this month as Chelle scouts more players for the Unity Cup in England
Eric Chelle is taking a proactive step in strengthening the Super Eagles by planning a meeting with Dutch-born striker Emanuel Emegha.
The Strasbourg forward, who is eligible to represent Nigeria, Togo, or the Netherlands, is now on Chelle’s radar as a potential addition to Nigeria’s attacking lineup.
Source: Getty Images
Born in the Netherlands to a Nigerian father and Togolese mother, Emegha has represented the Dutch national team at youth levels, from U15 through U21, as seen on Transfermarkt.
However, despite featuring for the Dutch U21 team, his senior international future remains undecided and playing for the Super Eagles is one of his options.
The 22-year-old has previously hinted at a strong desire to wear the green and white jersey of Nigeria, a sentiment he expressed while playing for Sparta Rotterdam, where he shared the dressing room with Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
Chelle identifies Emegha as a key target
Emegha’s recent performances in Ligue 1 for RC Strasbourg have caught the attention of Nigeria’s technical team, especially head coach Chelle.
Source: Getty Images
According to Fotmob, the 22-year-old forward has scored an impressive 13 goals in 26 appearances for Strasbourg this season, putting him on the radar of the Super Eagles coach.
With a powerful presence up front, the tall and athletic forward has shown versatility and sharp finishing, qualities Chelle believes could add significant value to the Super Eagles as the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensifies.
The Nigeria head coach is reportedly scheduled to travel to France later this month to scout several players eligible for the national team.
A face-to-face discussion with Emegha is expected to be a priority during the trip, with Chelle hoping to persuade the forward to commit his international future to Nigeria.
Sources close to the Super Eagles reveal that the NFF is backing the move, keen to secure more foreign-born talents to strengthen Nigeria’s squad depth.
The inclusion of a player like Emegha could be a game-changer for Nigeria, especially as they continue to reshape the team with younger, hungry talents ahead of upcoming qualifiers and international competitions.
Unity Cup provides strategic scouting opportunity
The talks with Emegha are part of a broader plan as Chelle prepares for the Unity Cup — a four-nation tournament taking place in England later this year.
Nigeria will face Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and arch-rivals Ghana in the competition, which is seen as a key tune-up ahead of more critical World Cup qualifiers.
Chelle’s scouting mission in France is not limited to Emegha but will focus on identifying quality players of Nigerian descent who are thriving in top European leagues.
Lack of structure hurting Super Eagles’ youth progression - OAP
Sports analyst and OAP, Edwin Onyebolise, has shared his thoughts on the ongoing debate regarding foreign-born players potentially joining the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Speaking to Legit.ng, he emphasised the challenges and lack of structure in Nigerian football development.
"It exposes the lack of structure that ensures that we have successions of players from the youth teams into the national team," Edwin said.
He noted that players in the under-17, under-20, and under-23 teams often play alongside fellow Africans and gain a deep understanding of African football, including the complexities of qualifiers and the hostile environment they may face on the continent.
While acknowledging the skill sets of foreign-born players, he added,
"On the field of play in terms of their skill sets, execution and whatnot, they are fantastic. The development, the understanding of the game - it's top notch."
However, the OAP warned that football is multifaceted, and not all foreign-born players may adapt to the unique aspects of African football.
"There's the aspect of tactics, human psychology, there's the mentality part. All of this ensures that a player is complete. If you're lagging in a couple of those, it's going to affect your overall performance,” the analyst said.
On integrating foreign-born players into the national team, Edween concluded,
"We might want to integrate these foreign-born players into our national teams but personally I'm not a big fan of it. If you have extraordinary talented players, why not bring them in? But don't bring in every Tom, D?ck and Harry. Just because he's born abroad doesn't mean he's good enough to represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Notwithstanding, if he's good enough, he should represent us."
Okocha backs Nigeria for World Cup ticket
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Austin Jay Jay Okocha has voiced strong belief in Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the team’s current struggles in the qualifying rounds.
The Super Eagles have managed just one victory in six games played in the qualifiers, losing one and drawing the remaining four games of the series.
Currently sitting fourth in Group C with seven points, six points behind leaders South Africa, the three-time African champions face an uphill task with four qualifiers left to play.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a sport analyst for this report.
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Source: Legit.ng
