The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is working against the clock to finalize the international switch of allegiance for Chelsea midfielders Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu, who are both out on loan, according to OwnGoalNigeria.com.
The duo has been included in Nigeria’s provisional 31-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, under newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle.
Ugochukwu, currently on loan at Southampton, previously represented France at youth level but remains eligible to play for Nigeria at senior level. He has already submitted the necessary documents for his nationality switch.
Similarly, Chukwuemeka, on loan at Borussia Dortmund, has opted to represent Nigeria over England or Canada and has also applied for a nationality switch.
The main concern is whether their paperwork will be processed in time for the March fixtures. Ugochukwu’s switch is expected to proceed smoothly, while Chukwuemeka’s case may face complications due to the English FA’s approval process, which requires consent from multiple affiliates within the United Kingdom.
