What The NFF Is Doing To Cap The Likes Of Olosunde, Uwakwe, Amaechi? Pinnick Replies

Nigeria Football Federation boss Amaju Pinnick has revealed that key officials are working behind the scenes in their bid to invite foreign-born Nigerian talents to Nigeria's national teams.

The likes of Matthew Olosunde (Manchester United), Xavier Amaechi (Arsenal), Tariq Uwakwe (Chelsea), Dennis Adeniran (Everton) and Tayo Edun (Fulham) are eligible to represent Nigeria's youth teams but presently turn out for their countries of births.

Pinnick has stated that NFF Vice President Seyi Akinwumi has set the ball rolling but diplomatically refused to mention the foreign-born talents they have approached over a potential call-up in the near future.

Recently, American-born Arsenal-linked striker Lateef Omidiji Jnr was bound to play for the United States U17 team until he was convinced by Akinwumi to wait for his chance with the Golden Eaglets.

''I have the first Vice President Seyi Akinwumi, he is also a member of the CAF Youth Committee, he's doing a lot in that regard,'' Pinnick told Channel Television's Austin Okon-Akpan.

''Only last week there were some messages he sent to me for approval and I gave him the go ahead.

''You can imagine the caliber of youth players coming in, we will be able to select them, we will be able to put them in our database but we can't come and start saying because this same Nigerians will call them and discourage them from coming.''

As many as six players of Nigerian descent eligible to represent the Flying Eagles - Fikayo Tomori, Joshua Onomah, Dominic Solanke, Ademola Lookman, Sheyi Ojo and Ovie Ejaria -  assisted the Young Lions win the FIFA U20 World Cup in the summer.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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