Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has finally opened up about his international future, confirming that he is ready to make a long-awaited decision on whether to represent Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.
The towering centre-back, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, remains eligible to play for both England and Nigeria.
Having featured for England at youth level — racking up appearances from the U16 to U19 age groups — Adarabioyo appeared destined for the Three Lions.
However, his last outing in an England shirt came in 2015, and despite consistent performances at club level, a senior call-up has never materialised.
Now, after successful stints at Manchester City, West Brom, Blackburn Rovers, and Fulham, and having recently lifted the UEFA Conference League with Chelsea, Adarabioyo says the time has come to commit internationally — possibly to Nigeria.
“Now is the time” – Everything Chelsea star Tosin Adarabioyo said about Nigeria Super Eagles decision
Addressing long-standing rumours about snubbing Nigeria, Adarabioyo told Nigerian journalist Oma Akatugba:
“Both of those pieces of news are pretty false. I’ve never turned down Nigeria. And I’ve never had any conversations with them to say that I’ll be going to Nigeria.
“At the point of last season where there was a little bit of conversation, I told them I just want to focus on club football. I was in my last year at Fulham and I just wanted to have a solid running at Fulham. Now I’m at Chelsea. My first year which I wanted to concentrate on again.
“And I think now is going to be the time that I need to make a decision.”
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The Nigeria Football Federation has long monitored the 27-year-old’s progress, hoping to bolster a defensive line that’s beginning to show signs of aging.
Current mainstays William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Semi Ajayi, and Kenneth Omeruo are all over 30, prompting a shift towards younger options.
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is actively scouting fresh talent from both Europe and the Nigerian domestic league.
In their Unity Cup clash against Ghana on Wednesday, Chelle handed debuts to Ifeanyi Onyebuchi and Igoh Ogbu.
Nigeria ran out winners against their West African rivals, setting up a final against Jamaica on Saturday.
Adarabioyo’s potential arrival could be timely for Nigeria, who are rebuilding ahead of the next Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. With his calmness on the ball and aerial prowess, he could bring a new dimension to the Super Eagles’ backline.