Nigeria's interim manager explains why ex-England U20 star was called up for World Cup playoff

Published: March 15, 2022

Augustine Eguavoen has revealed that he took the decision to hand a maiden call-up to Ademola Lookman for the Super Eagles' upcoming World Cup playoff versus Ghana only after a conversation with the Leicester City winger during his recent trip to the United Kingdom.

The 2017 Fifa U20 World Cup winner with England is now eligible to suit up for the three time African champions after his paperwork for a one-time change of association was completed.

Lookman was included in the Super Eagles provisional squad list for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations but was left out of the finalized roster because he had not been cleared by Fifa to represent Nigeria at that time.

Eguavoen was at the King Power Stadium to run the rule over Lookman in Leicester City's Europa Conference League tie with Randers on February 17.

"Even before Ademola Lookman was listed I was in Leicester, we had a conversation three days before the league game so his responses to me also informed whether he was going to be in the list or not," Eguavoen told Elegbete TV Sports.

"If his responses were negative I would have been a little bit hesitant as well."

Lookman also represented his country of birth at U19 and U21 levels before opting to switch his allegiance to Nigeria.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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