Emanuel Emegha Ignores Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Chooses to Represent European Nation

• Emanuel Emegha is being touted to play for Nigeria, but the striker has opted to represent the Netherlands at the senior level
• Emegha has been impressive for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, and he has attracted interest from several top clubs
• English Premier League giants Chelsea are said to be monitoring the player's situation in the transfer market

Nigeria-eligible forward Emanuel Emegha has opted to represent the Netherlands national football team at the senior level.

The 22-year-old had an impressive 2024/2025 season, scoring 14 goals and registering 3 assists in 27 appearances for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Emegha is eligible to represent Nigeria and Togo through his parents, but he remains committed to the Dutch national team.

The striker has featured for the Netherlands at U15, U19, U20, and U21 levels, but there are calls for him to switch allegiance to Nigeria.

Emegha told Supergaande's YouTube Channel:

"I believe I can make an impact on Oranje. I’m a different type of striker, but I respect everyone."

The former Sparta Rotterdam star brushed off rumours of a potential move to Chelsea, even though he remains on the radar of the English club.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano noted that the Stamford Bridge side are tracking the star but plan to wait until the summer of 2026 before making a move.

A graduate of Sparta Rotterdam’s academy, Emegha previously played for Antwerp and Sturm Graz before joining Strasbourg in 2023.

Speaking on his ambitions, he added via All Nigeria Soccer:

"I just want to finish as high as possible. I don’t have a dream club. I want to get the most out of every year. As a striker, you keep pushing, and a big club will come."

Despite his form, a nagging injury sidelined Emegha from the Netherlands’ 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship squad.

Nnamdi Collins to represent Germany?

In the same vein, Nigeria-eligible defender Nnamdi Collins recently named the country he would love to represent at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Born in Dusseldorf, Germany, Collins can still represent Nigeria at the senior level. However, he has disclosed that he prefers to play for his country of birth, pushing out ideas of playing for Nigeria.

Collins, who has already represented Germany at the youth level, stated that he has not had any discussions with the country's head coach regarding the senior national team.

NFF intensifies Arthur Okonkwo chase

Legit.ng earlier reported that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation have intensified efforts to secure the services of Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle and NFF Technical Director Austin Eguavoen have both noticed the former Arsenal player's impressive performances.

Nigeria has been struggling in the goalkeeping department, as second-choice Francis Uzoho and third-choice Maduka Okoye have failed to impress at their respective clubs.

The 23-year-old suffered a wrist fracture in November 2024, which sidelined him for a month. After his recovery, he struggled to find his form, spending some time on the bench in February.

Source: Legit.ng