Nigeria Behind Republic Of Ireland For Services Of Stoke City Striker Shola Ayoola

Stoke City youth - teamer Shola Ayoola is eligible to represent Nigeria internationally but the Republic of Ireland are ahead of the Africans in the race to secure his international future.

The teenager has caps for the Republic of Ireland U16s and featured for the squad at the 2015 Netherlands International Tournament, starting against the United States and Holland while he came off the bench against Czech Republic.

Shola Ayoola began his career with the youth team of Cherry Orchard in Dublin before he was snapped up by Stoke City in the 2014-2015 season on the back of his displays for the Republic of Ireland U16s.

Though the striker is spending his formative years as a footballer abroad, he has all the attributes of a typical Nigerian forward : strong, quick and a physical presence to trouble defenders.

Ayoola was one of the seven scholars retained by the Potters at the end of the 2015-2016 season.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : balls.ie