9 goals in 11 games: Nigeria to battle Spain and England for prolific Liverpool youth team striker

Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that three national teams are in a race to secure the international future of prolific Liverpool youth striker Joshua Sonni-Lambie.

In addition to being eligible for England, the highly-rated centre-forward also qualifies to represent Nigeria's Super Eagles and Spain's La Roja through his paternal grandfather and paternal grandmother respectively.

At present, the English Football Association are believed to be leading the chase, having already capped the youngster at U18 level.

However, as Sonni-Lambie has yet to feature in a competitive fixture for the Young Lions, he remains eligible to switch allegiance and turn out for any of the other two nations without filing a formal request for a change of association.

The 17-year-old has been in outstanding form this season, scoring nine goals in eleven appearances across the U18 Premier League, UEFA Youth League and EFL Trophy.

In the U18 Premier League, only Ben Casey (Crystal Palace) and Lorenz Hutchinson (Leicester City) have found the net more times than the Liverpool prospect.

At the rate he is progressing, a senior debut for the reigning Premier League champions could soon be on the horizon, mirroring the pathway taken by academy graduates of Nigerian descent such as Ovie Ejaria, Sheyi Ojo, Rio Ngumoha and Wellity Lucky.

Earlier this month, Sonni-Lambie made his Liverpool U21 debut in an EFL Trophy fixture against Crewe Alexandra's first team, and he is now targeting a permanent spot in the U21 setup before the season concludes.

Sonni-Lambie joined Liverpool's academy at U14 level after being discovered in grassroots football in London, and his rapid rise was rewarded in February 2025 when he signed his first professional contract with the Anfield outfit.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: liverpoolfc.com 

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