With a Chelsea duo reportedly in the process of switching their nationality to an African powerhouse, more details about the situation are said to have emerged.
It is not uncommon for footballers to swap nationalities. Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood had filed papers to represent Jamaica and turn his back on his country of birth, England.
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Last year, Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz also opted to represent Morocco instead of Spain.
With the first international break of 2025 coming up in March, it is no surprise that more players are looking to take a similar path.
Last week, reports emerged that Chelsea duo Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu, who are currently both out on loan at Borussia Dortmund and Southampton respectively, are trying to change their allegiance to Nigeria.
Born in Austria to Nigerian parents, Chukwuemeka was raised in England and later went on to represent the country at various youth levels, including the U-20s.
Ugochukwu, meanwhile, was born in France and holds dual nationality with Nigeria.
An unnamed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official has lifted the lid on the Chelsea duo's nationality switch situation.
Speaking to OwnGoalNigeria, the NFF official said; "They are not in the list of players for the [2026 FIFA] World Cup qualifiers in March, rather they are in an enlarged list of players submitted by the technical director of the NFF, Austine Eguavoen, to the coach. It's now up to Eric Chelle to convince them to switch to Nigeria.
"For Chukwuemeka, it's all positive for some time now, but that of Ugochukwu, I am not sure he wants to play for Nigeria after breaking into the French setup. Like I said, they are not in consideration for the games but in the plans of the coach if they decide to switch.
"I can tell you that one player is already neck-deep in the process, but I am sorry I can't reveal his identity for now. He is the only one that has formally applied to play for Nigeria, and we are working on it."
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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