Nigeria Keeping Tabs On Real Madrid Rising Star With A View To Super Eagles Call-up

The Nigeria Football Federation and Super Eagles coaching staff are keeping tabs on Real Madrid rising star Marvin Akinlabi with a view to an invitation to the Nigeria national team in the near future.

Akinlabi trained with Real Madrid's first team all through the pre-season and looked lively after coming off the bench when he made his competitive debut in a goalless draw with Real Sociedad two days ago.

Born in Palma de Mallorca twenty years ago, he qualifies to represent the national teams of Spain, Nigeria and South Korea.

Should he decide to play for the Super Eagles, he does not need to request for a change of association, as things stand, as his only cap for Spain's youth team (U19) was in an international friendly vs Italy.

Super Eagles chief scout Tunde Adelakun has confirmed that Akinlabi is a player of interest but stressed that a decision to invite the winger has to come from the Nigerian Federation and manager Gernot Rohr

"We are watching all players that are qualified and eligible to play for Nigeria, all across the board, Real Madrid and even clubs in Vietnam, therefore he's not out of our radar,'' Adelakun told allnigeriasoccer.com.

"The fact that he made a debut for Real Madrid is great, it is fantastic news for him, he has made history for himself as a player.

"We will keep watching his progress to see whether he will make the squad at some point in the future.

"My place is to watch players that are eligible and give my reports to my superiors, being the head coach and on the administrative side the Nigeria Football Federation, so the two will make the decision"

Akinlabi is the first Nigeria-eligible player to feature for Real Madrid's first team, something not achieved by retired Nigeria internationals Mutiu Adepoju and Dimeji Lawal, and Derik Osede.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel