Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, has opened up on how Super Eagles lost the opportunity to secure Arsenal star Eberechi Eze’s international allegiance to England.
Pinnick, who played a key role in convincing several dual-nationality players to commit their futures to Nigeria during his tenure, disclosed that advanced discussions were already concluded with Eze and his family before the process collapsed.
Speaking on ThePlayzone and Dangolo Way podcast, Pinnick revealed that both parties had reached an understanding after extensive meetings and documentation.
“Eberechi Eze came, we had a long discussion. I met the father, and we had a long and very meaningful conversation, during which he expressed his agreement,” Pinnick said.
“The sister manages him. They came to my flat, we had agreed, put all the documentations and he said we should hold on and that was it. Elections came and I left the NFF.”
He further insisted that the Crystal Palace midfielder still holds strong emotional ties to Nigeria despite opting to represent England.
“Very positively, Eberechi Eze, trust me, he loves Nigeria, he actually did. I was going through my messages with him at some point,” he added.
Eze, who was eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents, eventually committed his international future to England, where he has since become an established member of the Three Lions setup.
The revelation highlights another high-profile case of Nigeria missing out on a foreign-born talent, despite early engagement and advanced negotiations.
 President, Amaju Pinnick, has opened up on how Super Eagles lost the opportunity to secure Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze’s international allegiance to England.){kind=link}