Super Eagles Receive Major Boost as Talented England-Born Star Ready to Commit to Nigeria
- Eric Chelle's scouting team moved fast after 23-year-old Deji Elewere caught attention with four man-of-the-match awards in seven Championship games
- The London-born centre-back has Nigerian roots and has never been capped by England at any level, making him eligible for the Super Eagles
- Chelle has reportedly already reached out to Elewere's representatives at Roc Nation Sports as the defender weighs up a future with Nigeria
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Nigeria could be set to add another England-born talent to their ranks, with Lincoln City centre-back Ayodeji Joshua Oluwapelumi Akinola Elerewe emerging as a priority target for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Deji Elewere has been in stunning form since Lincoln won promotion to the English Championship last season, collecting four man-of-the-match awards from just seven league appearances, including his latest outstanding display against Bristol City.
Source: Getty Images
That run of form has turned heads across Europe and brought the London-born defender to the attention of the Super Eagles technical staff.
Chelle makes early move for Elewere
According to OwnGoal Nigeria, Chelle has reportedly moved swiftly, with sources confirming that the Nigeria coaching team has already made contact with Elewere's representatives at Roc Nation Sports.
The centre-back was born in London to parents of Nigerian origin and has never received a senior or youth international call-up from England, meaning he can commit to Nigeria without needing FIFA to approve a nationality switch.
As seen on Transfermarkt, Elewere joined Lincoln City two years ago and played a key role in the club's promotion push from League One before their step up to the Championship, where his performances have earned widespread praise.
A growing tradition of recruiting England-born players
Should Elewere accept an invitation to represent Nigeria, he would follow a well-established path taken by several high-profile players.
As seen on Afrik-Foot, Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi, Emmanuel Fernandez, Ryan Alebiosu and Femi Azeez are among those who chose to represent the Super Eagles over England, and that decision has proven transformative for Nigerian football at the senior level.
Chelle, who took charge of the Super Eagles in 2024, has shown a clear appetite for identifying dual-eligible talent playing in Europe's top leagues and expanding his squad options ahead of what is expected to be a competitive qualifying campaign.
Nigeria's need for quality defensive reinforcements makes Elewere's profile particularly appealing.
A composed, physical centre-back with Championship experience and the potential to develop further at a high level, he fits the mould of what the current coaching staff is looking for.
No official confirmation from either the Nigeria Football Federation or Elewere's camp had been released by the time of publication.
Chelle set to drop Premier League star
In another development, Legit.ng reported Brighton winger Zadok Yohanna’s injury setback, which has ruled him out of Nigeria’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The 19-year-old is expected to remain sidelined until after the international break.
Source: Legit.ng
