By Peter Dansu Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo is set to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria after years of being involved with England’...
By Peter Dansu
Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo is set to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria after years of being involved with England’s youth teams, report by SportsBoom.com has exclusively revealed.
Adarabioyo, 26, was born in Manchester to Nigerian parents. He has played for England at the Under-16, U-17, U-18, and U-19 levels, but he has never been called up to the senior national team. This has kept the door open for a possible switch to represent Nigeria.
While he was still playing for Fulham, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had already listed him among potential Super Eagles players. But at that time, the defender wasn’t open to committing, as many believed he preferred the idea of playing for England.
Although he has denied turning down Nigeria in the past, Adarabioyo now admits he is close to making a final decision about his international career.
Sources within the NFF say they are confident the player has now agreed to represent Nigeria, unless there is an unexpected change of mind.
The NFF is reportedly working to have him available for Nigeria’s next round of matches, but he may not be ready in time for the September international window due to paperwork still being processed.
Adarabioyo, who joined Chelsea in the summer and was part of the squad that won the FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S., made his first-ever visit to Nigeria in July. During that visit, he met with top government officials and football authorities. Insiders say the trip played a key role in convincing him to commit to Nigeria.
Speaking during the visit, he said:
“It’s something I still think about (playing for Nigeria). We’ll see in the near future, hopefully, and I’ll start to make a decision. It’s just something that has obviously been a topic for many years now since I’ve become a professional footballer. But again, like I said, we’ll see.”
He also hosted a grassroots football tournament during his stay — a move seen as an effort to give back to the community and reconnect with his heritage.
If the switch is finalized, Adarabioyo will follow the path of players like Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Ola Aina — all of whom represented England at youth level before switching to Nigeria.
His addition will boost Nigeria’s defensive strength as the Super Eagles prepare for future international fixtures.
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