Chelsea alum shows up in Super Eagles camp to end speculation about international future; 6 players also in

Chelsea's Cobham product Ola Aina and West Brom star Semi Ajayi are among the seven players in the Super Eagles camp ahead of Saturday's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Republic of Benin's Cheetahs.

Aina and Ajayi started for their respective clubs this past weekend, with the fullback playing the full ninety minutes as Nottingham Forest were held to a 1-1 draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers and the central defender also going the distance in West Brom's 1-0 win against Swansea City.

Aina reporting for international duty early has ended speculation about his international future amid suggestions that he could quit the national team following the backlash he received from Nigeria fans after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final.

Since the game against the Elephants on February 11, 2024, he missed four consecutive matches played by the Super Eagles, against Ghana, Mali, South Africa and Republic of Benin. 

Kenneth Omeruo, Aina's former teammate at Chelsea, suggested that he considered quitting the Super Eagles after the right-back was cyberbullied by fans.

 Al-Kholood 's William Troost-Ekong, Atalanta's Ademola Lookman, Orlando Pirates' Olisa Ndah, Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi and Lazio's Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have also reported for international duty in Uyo.

With the exception of Lookman who has not figured for Atalanta since the UEFA Super Cup showdown against Real Madrid, the four other players were in action in the last games played by their respective clubs 

Stanley Nwabali, Maduka Okoye, Amas Obasogie, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Bruno Onyemaechi, Calvin Bassey, Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface and Moses Simon were still being expected as at the time of writing this report. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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