Liverpool wonderkid Ovie Ejaria has explained why he failed to make the Golden Eaglets squad ahead of the 2013 Fifa Under 17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

The Londoner has fond memories of training with the Nigeria U17s three years ago and enjoyed spending time with Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City) and Isaac Success (Watford).

“I could not continue training with the squad because I had to return to England for school and the start of pre - season, ” Ovie Ejaria told allnigeriasoccer.com.

Ejaria had wanted to train with the Flying Eagles the following year but later jettisoned the idea because of the physical demands of playing with boys stronger and bigger than him.

The central midfielder thought about returning to the Golden Eaglets class of 2015, then abandoned the plan as he would have been above the age limit during the competition in Chile.

He was on the books of Arsenal for seven years and had attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United before he was snapped up by Liverpool  in 2014 following a successful trial.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel