‘Nigerian’ youngsters Jordon Ibe, Dele Alli and Dominic Iorfa have been named in the England U-21s squad to face United States of America in September, the English Football Association announced on Tuesday.
It is Tottenham midfielder Alli’s first England U-21s call-up, just three days after he scored his first Premier League goal against Leicester City.
Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh recently met with Ibe to persuade the Liverpool winger to switch allegiance to the country of his father.
But Ibe was apparently not convinced and appears to be eyeing a senior England career instead.[post_ad]
Wolves defender Iorfa, whose father – also named Dominic – was an accomplished Nigerian striker and currently a football administrator in Nigeria, has been in impressive form for the Championship side since last season but has apparently not been approached by the West Africans.
So long as they have not played for England, the teenagers are still eligible for Nigeria, the country their fathers hail from.
England Under-21s squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Manchester City), Jordan Pickford (Preston North End, on loan from Sunderland), Christian Walton (Bury, on loan from Brighton)
Defenders: Calum Chambers (Arsenal), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Brendan Galloway (Everton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Kortney Hause (Wolves), Dominic IORFA (Wolves), Jack Stephens (Middlesbrough, on loan from Southampton), Matt Targett (Southampton)
Midfielders: Dele ALLI (Tottenham), Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea), Jake Forster-Caskey (Brighton), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)
Forwards: Chuba Akpom (Hull City, on loan from Arsenal), Jordon IBE (Liverpool), Solly March (Brighton), Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), Duncan Watmore (Sunderland), James Wilson (Manchester United), Cauley Woodrow (Fulham)
– Complete Sports
