One-time Chelsea target Ibrahim Hafiz Umar gets Flying Eagles call-up ahead of U20 Afcon

Allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively report with certainty that Nigeria have handed a call-up to talented Stade de Reims center forward Ibrahim Hafiz Umar ahead of the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

If his name does not ring a bell, Umar made the back pages at home and abroad after he was invited to train with Chelsea last year following his impressive goalscoring displays at the Viareggio Cup,  where he won the top scorer award with ten goals in six matches.

After his failed move to the Premier League giants, French Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims acquired him on a four-year contract last August.

Flying Eagles manager Aliyu Zubairu has been keeping tabs on Umar and plans to run the rule over the 19-year-old before announcing his final roster for the 2025 U20 Afcon.

The Ojodu City Academy product has put his failed move to Chelsea behind him, delivering standout performances for Reims youth team and earning a promotion to the senior squad.

He tallied nine goals in nine matches in the Championnat National 3 - Groupe E, before making his Ligue 1 debut off the bench in a 1-0 loss to Stade Rennais.

Having been named in the squad for five first team matches, Ibrahim Hafiz Umar has gone on to feature in three of them.

Nigeria have been grouped with Egypt, South Africa and Morocco in a strong looking Group B at the 2025 U20 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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