Super Eagles central defender William Troost Ekong has stated that he has no choice regarding who he partners at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The Udinese star has often been paired with Brighton & Hove player Leon Balogun but the latter had limited playing time for the English Premier League side in the 2018/2019 season with just eight league appearances.

Conversely Leganes of Spain's Kenneth Omeruo who is loan from Chelsea was one of the mainstays at his club in the period under review and has been tipped to play alongside the Tottenham Hotspur product.

"What matters most is the interest of the team. It doesn't matter who starts on the field or comes off the bench," Ekong told allnigeriasoccer.com.

"I have played with both Kenneth and Leon and they have different qualities so I can't say much about that subject. I have no favourite to pair with. The coach might even decide not to start me.

"Kenneth is an experienced player, he has won the Africa Cup of Nations. Leon is equally a good defender. The decision rests on the coach. We just want to win our matches," Troost whose breakthrough in the Eagles came after his excellent performances at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro mused.

Ekong made 35 Serie A appearances for the Zebras last season with 3,067 minutes of action to his credit.

Izuchukwu Okosi