By Wale Mustapha
Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo has indicated that he is close to making a decision on his international future, amid ongoing speculation over whether he will commit to Nigeria or wait for a senior England call-up.
Adarabioyo, 27, was born in England to Nigerian parents and has represented England at youth level 14 times. However, he remains eligible to play for Nigeria, having yet to earn a senior cap for the Three Lions.
The former Fulham centre-back has previously been linked with a potential switch to the Super Eagles, though reports had suggested he declined earlier invitations from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Adarabioyo has now refuted those claims.
“I never turned down Nigeria and I have never had a conversation where I said I would be going to Nigeria,” Adarabioyo told reporters after Chelsea’s UEFA Europa Conference League final win over Real Betis.
“At the point last season, where there was a bit of conversation, I said I wanted to focus on club football. I was in my final year at Fulham and now, in my first year at Chelsea, I needed to concentrate.
“Now is the time I need to make a decision [on my international future],” he added.
Adarabioyo joined Chelsea on a free transfer last summer and has quickly established himself as a key figure in the Blues’ defensive setup.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
