22nd September, 2019
Nigeria, England, and Canada are reported to be in a three-way fight for the services of Chelsea’s defender Fikayo Tomori.
Oluwafikayomi Oluwadamilola Tomori was born in Canada to Nigerian parents, but the family moved to Gravesend in the UK when he was a baby. He had played for Canada’s Under 20 team and for England’s Under 20 and Under 21 teams.
But as with Tammy Abraham, Nigeria are pressing hard to recruit two of Chelsea’s prodigies. Abraham has played for the England senior team but has yet to play in a competitive match and so can switch nationalities under FIFA rules, Daily Mail reported.
Tomori is non-committal at present and said: ‘I’m a citizen of all three [countries] so we’ll see. I was born in Canada and lived there about seven or eight months old. My family is Nigerian, obviously I live in England. It’s nice to have that. I can’t play Under-21 football anymore so the last international break I didn’t get called up to anyone. Next one maybe we’ll see.’
His manager Frank Lampard has tipped him to be good enough to make the cut for England but insists he won’t try to influence his decision.
Lampard said: ‘It’s his choice. I wouldn’t tell him where to play internationally. But he’s played for [England] Under-21s and if he continues with his form and keeps improving then of course I would expect there to be potential for England if Gareth chooses to select him.
‘He shouldn’t worry about it at the minute. He should just worry about how he’s playing every game or how he trains every day and That will be a nice problem for him, hopefully, if he’s eligible for three. He can chose which one he wants.’