Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has clarified that he has never rejected an opportunity to play for the Super Eagles.
The 26-year-old centre-back made the statement during a post-match interview with Nigerian journalist Oma Akatugba, following Chelsea’s emphatic 4-1 win over Real Betis in the UEFA Europa Conference League final.
Adarabioyo, who recently completed his first season with the Blues after joining from Fulham, finally opened up about his stance on representing Nigeria. “Yeah, so both of those pieces of news are pretty false,” Adarabioyo said. “I’ve never turned down Nigeria, and I’ve never had any conversations with them to say that I will be going to Nigeria.”
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The Manchester-born defender, who is eligible to represent both England and Nigeria, has long been on the radar of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen was previously seen attending one of Fulham’s games, reportedly to assess the defender’s suitability for the Super Eagles.
Adarabioyo explained that at the point of last season, when there was a little bit of conversation, he told the club he just wanted to focus on club football in his last year at Fulham.
“I just wanted to have a solid season at Fulham. Now I’m at Chelsea in my first year, which I wanted to concentrate on again, and I think now is going to be the time that I need to make a decision.”
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With Nigeria preparing for a critical round of qualifiers and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) coming up soon, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is expected to strengthen his backline. Adarabioyo’s Premier League experience positions him as a valuable addition to his squad.
Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo( Photo credit: Getty Images)
However, his performance in the league sometimes raises doubts over his consistency. Still, it would be unfair to judge Adarabioyo solely based on one outing. With Nigeria set to face South Africa later in the year, Adarabioyo’s decision on his international allegiance could be imminent.
The Super Eagles have been keeping an eye on Adarabioyo, and his recent comments have sparked speculation about his potential call-up. Should Chelle call up Adarabioyo? The defender’s experience in the Premier League would undoubtedly be an asset to the team.
