Despite featuring frequently at youth level for England, Tosin Adarabioyo is yet to make his senior debut for the national team.
The Nigerian Football Federation is pushing to have Chelsea defender Tosin Aderabioyo switch allegiance and represent the Super Eagles instead of the Three Lions of England at the international level. The player has already turned down two approaches, but the NFA is not giving up, sources have told LondonWorld.
The Blues defender held talks with former Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro in London before this year’s AFCON, but the Portuguese coach was unable to convince the then-Fulham man to play for the West African country.
The Super Eagles are currently without a manager, but sources have told LondonWorld that high-ranking members of the FF are keen to pursue Aderabioyo, having seen the success of Ademola Lookman. Lookman also initially turned down approaches before deciding to play for the country of his parents. The now Atalanta star was one of the standout players for the Eagles and played a key role as they reached the final in Ivory Coast earlier in the year. During the competition, there were 15 English-born players at the AFCON.
The issue of English-born players playing for Nigeria later in their careers has divided opinions this week in the West African country, with former Chelsea and Nigeria international Mikel Obi citing Shola Ameobi, who represented England at U21 level but switched nationality late in his career to play for Nigeria after consistently failing to get into the Three Lions squad.
The 37-year-old said on the Obi One podcast about England-born Nigerians switching allegiance later in their careers to play for the Super Eagles: “Shola had the opportunity to come play for Nigeria. Nigeria was chasing him, the Nigerian FA kept asking Shola to come play for us, and he refused. He said, ‘No, I wanna play for England. I am waiting for England, waiting for a call-up from England.
“Shola gave us a call when he was 29, almost 30, to come and play for us, and then he came and only played one year. That was when the Nigerian FA didn’t have an option because we were going to the World Cup, so, okay, let’s just give him the chance.
“But he waited till he was past his best… then he decided, ‘I wanna come play for Nigeria.’ Those are the things I am talking about. We are not a second option. I didn’t know what the situation was with his family back then, but just an example for me. Players shouldn’t wait, you can’t wait. If you make a decision when you’re 17 or 16, stick to it. Don’t give us a call when you are 30 and say, ‘Now, I wanna represent my African roots.’”@LondonWorld.