Super Eagles: RB Leipzig forward open to representing Nigeria

RB Leipzig youngster Ayodele Thomas, eligible to play for Nigeria has signalled his readiness to don the colours of the Super Eagles at the senior international level, Soccernet.ng reports.

The teenage winger, who recently completed a move to Germany, is understood to be emerging as a potential future Super Eagles option.

Although he has previously worn Dutch colours at the youth level, the RB Leipzig attacker is not tied to the Netherlands’ senior team and remains free to choose where his long-term international career lies.

Why Ayodele Thomas could choose the Super Eagles

Thomas has represented the Netherlands at Under-15 and Under-19 levels, but those appearances do not tie him to the Dutch senior side under FIFA rules.

Sources close to the player indicate that he is keen on the prospect of wearing the green and white at full international level and sees Nigeria as a realistic pathway to senior football.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, the forward has maintained strong personal links with Nigeria and reportedly visited the country in 2025.

He has also been spotted wearing Nigeria’s national team colours in public, gestures that have fuelled speculation over a potential switch of allegiance.

 

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For now, the teenager’s priority remains club football. Those within his camp say his immediate target is to break into the RB Leipzig first team before making any final decision on his international future. Talks over senior national team commitments are expected to follow once he establishes himself at the top level.

Thomas joined Leipzig during the January transfer window but has yet to make his senior debut. His development path has included spells at Almere City and Feyenoord’s academy before a move to PSV Eindhoven, where he progressed from the Under-17s to the Under-21 side.

Last season, he recorded three goals and six assists in 18 league appearances for PSV’s reserve team in the Dutch second tier.

Should he eventually opt for Nigeria, Thomas would be the latest Netherlands-born player to line up for the Super Eagles, following the path of William Troost-Ekong and Tyronne Ebuehi.

Meanwhile, Thomas’ progress at Leipzig could determine how quickly his international future comes into sharper focus.