Breaking: “Papers submitted” – Two Chelsea players set for Nigeria switch | OneFootball

Two Chelsea players are preparing a switch of nationality in time for next month’s international break.

OwnGoalNigeria.com are reporting that Lesley Ugochukwu and Carney Chukwuemeka have been called up for Nigeria’s squad to face Zimbabwe and Rwanda in March – although we can’t see any evidence of that on the Nigeria Football Federation’s website or social pages just yet.

New coach Eric Chelle has called both midfielders, who have until now been playing with France and England’s youth sides respectively.

Ugochukwu, currently on loan at Southampton, has “already submitted his papers for a switch of nationality” while Chukwuemeka, currently on loan at Borussia Dortmund, “has also applied for a switch.”

It all seems rather last minute – and indeed “the only fear is if their papers will be ready before the games in the month of March.”

Ugochukwu’s switch is expected to be easier to organise, because Chukwuemeka’s will need approval from all of the United Kingdom’s football associations before he gets the green light.

Midfield pair to get more minutes at critical moment in their career

Lesley Ugochukwu playing for France.

Both players have struggled for game time all season, and are in a position where playing for their country could actually be useful to help get them up to speed for the final third of the campaign. It will also raise their profile internationally, of course.

In purely practical terms it’s a pain for any club to have players playing for African nations as the Africa Cup of Nations takes place mid-season rather than in the summer, but nobody will resent the pair going to represent the country of their ancestry. Neither really seem to be in Chelsea’s plans long term anyway, so we look forward to seeing them play for the Super Eagles in AFCONs and World Cups to come.