Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has finally made his intentions clear, reaching out personally to Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to express his desire to represent Nigeria at senior level, Footynaija.com reports.
Adarabioyo, 28, was born in London to Nigerian parents and represented England at youth level from the under-16 to under-19 teams, but never received a senior call-up from the Three Lions.
Thomas Tuchel, like his predecessors, has shown no interest in the 6ft 5in centre-back, and with the World Cup approaching, the defender has made his choice.
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He visited Nigeria last summer, spent time learning about his heritage and left with a stronger emotional connection to the country than he had arrived with.
The AFCON in Morocco appeared to be another turning point, with sources saying he followed the tournament closely and was moved by the passion around the Super Eagles.
Per recent reports, Adarabioyo confirmed he wants to wear the green and white, saying: “It would be a great honour for me to wear the green jersey, but currently my focus is entirely on my goals with Chelsea FC.”
Tosin’s path to a call-up
The road has not been entirely smooth. Chelle had previously told the defender that he needed to commit fully and be available for the AFCON, not just arrive for a World Cup at the last minute.
That ultimatum, delivered through an intermediary when the two met in London last year, went unanswered for months.
The direct approach to Chelle now suggests Adarabioyo is ready to meet those conditions.
His form at Chelsea this season has been inconsistent. He was heavily criticised after a costly performance in the 3-1 defeat to Leeds in December, losing possession nine times and making two errors that contributed directly to goals.
But he has recovered well since then, playing 19 Premier League games and demonstrating the aerial dominance and composure in possession that made him one of the most sought-after defenders in the Championship at Fulham two seasons ago.
