Chelsea centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo has addressed speculation about his commitment to the Super Eagles, stating he has never declined the opportunity to represent Nigeria, according to report.
The 26-year-old defender made the comments during a post-match interview with Nigerian journalist Oma Akatugba following Chelsea’s 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. Despite his experience with England’s youth teams, Adarabioyo remains undecided between England and Nigeria at the senior level.
Adarabioyo recently completed his first season at Chelsea after transferring from Fulham. Speaking on his international future, he said, “I’ve never turned down Nigeria, and I’ve never had any conversations with them to say that I will be going to Nigeria. Last season, I told my club I wanted to focus on club football at Fulham. Now I’m at Chelsea, and I think this is the time I need to make a decision.”
The Manchester-born defender qualifies for both Nigeria and England. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has shown interest in securing him, with Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen attending a Fulham match to evaluate Adarabioyo’s potential for the national team.
Despite not earning a senior cap for either country, Adarabioyo’s performances in the Premier League have kept him on Nigeria’s radar. His experience could strengthen Nigeria’s defence ahead of upcoming qualifiers and the Africa Cup of Nations.
While questions about his consistency have arisen, judging his ability on a single game would be unfair. With Nigeria set to face South Africa later this year, Adarabioyo’s choice on international allegiance could come soon.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
