Olise, Ugochukwu, Kayode, Omorodion: Finidi not ruling out targeting more dual nationals for Super Eagles

Nigeria's head coach Finidi George is not ruling out inviting more dual national players to the Super Eagles. 

Looking at Nigeria's 2023 Africa Cup of Nations squad, several players could have represented other nations but opted to wear the colours of the three-time African champions. 

The Nigeria Football Federation, under former president Amaju Pinnick, won high-profile recruitment battles for Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong.

Nigerians want players like Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, Chelsea midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, Fiorentina fullback Michael Kayode and Atlético Madrid loanee Samuel Omorodion, who are all doing well for their clubs to change their loyalty to the Super Eagles.

Olise and Ugochukwu are provisionally cap-tied to France, while Kayode and Omorodion have played in competitive matches for the youth team of Italy and Spain respectively. 

Finidi revealed that he will try to get some of the dual national players to represent the Super Eagles but also emphasized that the players would need to formally request a change of association if they decide to play for the Nigeria national team.

"There are some procedures that have to be done. You don't just see a Nigerian that is playing in one of these clubs and say let him come, it doesn't work that way," Finidi said at Wednesday's media briefing. 

"There's paperwork, procedure, you have to speak to these players and that is not my job. We have people at the NFF that have been doing that in the past and in the future definitely they will do that.

"Our job is to watch, and when we see a good player the people that know the job properly and that is their department, they will make that happen.

"If we see a player we know can help, we can bring on board, we will do that. We recommend and the rest the NFF will take care of that."

Finidi is planning to name one or two new faces in his squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: fff.fr

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