Nigeria’s hopes of convincing Brentford defender Michael Kayode to switch allegiance to the Super Eagles appear to have suffered a major blow after the highly rated full back declared his commitment to Italy.
Kayode, who joined Brentford from Fiorentina last summer in a deal worth around €17.5 million, has enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League, quickly establishing himself as one of the club’s most reliable performers.
Michael Kayode. Photocredit: Getty Images
The 21-year-old, born in Italy to Nigerian parents of Yoruba descent, had been strongly linked with a potential international switch after reports emerged that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation were planning talks with the defender following approval from Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle.
Although Kayode had previously acknowledged Nigeria’s interest and described the possibility of representing either nation as “amazing”, the defender has now made his position clear.
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Speaking to Italian outlet Tuttosport, Kayode admitted his dream has always been to represent the Italian senior national team.
“I will always give priority to Italy: even at youth level, I grew up wearing the Azzurri shirt,” he said.
“I hope to achieve this dream as soon as possible, but I have no doubt about which path to choose.”
The former Fiorentina defender has represented Italy at youth level and remains highly regarded within Italian football circles.
Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had previously urged the Italian Football Federation to secure Kayode’s long-term commitment before Nigeria could convince him to change allegiance.
Kayode also disclosed that he had held discussions with former Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso ahead of the World Cup play-offs in March, although he was ultimately not included in the squad.
“Yes, we also had dinner with other Premier League players,” he explained.
“I was doing well, I felt involved even without being called up for the play-offs.”
Despite missing out on a senior invitation, the defender insisted his immediate focus remains on helping Brentford push for a historic European qualification spot.
“For now, I’m only focused on qualifying for Europe with Brentford,” Kayode added.
“The Azzurri shirt would be an enormous achievement, unthinkable until a few years ago, but I’ll think about it in a few weeks.”
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Kayode’s latest comments represent another setback in the pursuit of dual-national talents as the Super Eagles continue efforts to strengthen their squad ahead of future international competitions.
