England-Nigeria decision coming soon

BBC News

5 hours ago

Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo recognises he needs to decide "sooner or later" whether his international future lies with England or Nigeria.The 27-year-old has yet to receive an international call-up for either his nation of birth, England, or parentage, Nigeria with the World Cup taking place in the United States in 2026.Asked about his hopes for playing international football, Adarabioyo said: "The World Cup means it is a decision I need to take sooner rather than later. It is a conversation we will have and we will see how it goes."The centre-back, born in Manchester, has been open to playing for England, representing the country from under-16s to under-19s, and being on Gareth Southgate's long list while playing at Fulham. However, he has yet to receive a formal call-up.In terms of Nigeria, Adarabioyo has previously denied turning down any call-ups in the past. Sources say there was caution in making any decisions after his recent move to Chelsea, with the defender publicly stating he wanted to focus on club football this season. Adarabioyo is proud to have familial ties with Nigeria and last year his camp received informal contact from them. Now, with stability at Chelsea after playing 39 games this season, Adarabioyo is approaching decision time should a call-up arise.Meanwhile, several sources at Chelsea have praised the defender's off-field influence, especially at the Club World Cup where players are away from their families and with a lot of free time on their hands. They highlighted his close relationship with star player Cole Palmer and nickname 'Uncle' as evidence of his influence as one of a number of leaders in the squad. "I settled very quickly when I came and took on that leadership role to try and help the boys whenever I can," Adarabioyo added. "At Fulham, I was actually one of the youngest and now to come here and be one of the eldest, it's quite funny. But wherever I've been I've always been one of the leaders in the team."One example of Adarabioyo's leadership was encouraging Palmer to say more in a man-of-the-match interview after the Conference League final, with the forward in turn filmed applauding his friend after winning 'Superior Player of the Match' in a viral video after the 3-0 win over ES Tunis on Tuesday night. "No, I'm not a mentor (for Palmer), but I was looking after him a little bit," he added. "He's a top, top player who doesn't need advice from me to know what he has to do but I'm there whenever he needs me. "I banter him sometimes and tells he's a little superstar. He handles it very well."