Al-Shabab continue to play hardball over Ighalo; the truth about 'non-international football clause'

Published: January 07, 2022

Allnigeriasoccer.com can report with certainty that Saudi Arabian Pro League side Al-Shabab continue to play hardball over the release of their star striker Odion Ighalo to the Nigeria Football Federation for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The former Manchester United star fueled speculation that he could be on his way to Garoua to link up with his international teammates by taking to Instagram to post old pictures of himself on a private jet.

However, the rumours are false as Al-Shabab have not permitted Ighalo to travel to Africa as things stand.

The Nigeria Football Federation have already given up hope of having their number nine in Garoua, stating that he is no longer expected as a result of issues with his Saudi Arabian club.

With Ighalo ruled out of the tournament, the Nigeria Football Federation had sought the permission of the Confederation of African Football to modify their roster again but the request was not granted.

Sensational reports in the local and Arabic media claimed that Ighalo's contract with Al-Shabab has a clause in it that stipulated that he will not play for the national team, but it is one hundred percent confirmed that the viral reports are false in its entirety as the clause doesn't exist in his contract.

FIFA's Regulations on the Status of Players stipulate that, 'Clubs are obliged to release their registered players to the representative teams of the country for which the player is eligible to play on the basis of his nationality if they are called up by the association concerned. Any agreement between a player and a club to the contrary is prohibited'.

The 32-year-old Ighalo is having an outstanding season at Al-Shabab, scoring eleven goals in fifteen league matches.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel