Arsenal of England new signing, Tim Akinola has become the London-based English Premier League club’s latest Nigerian-born player at the centre of a dilemma over his international future, with tight odds already starring him in the eye between the Super Eagles and Three Lions, megasportsarena.com reports.
While debate lingers over the future of another Arsenal fast-rising kid, Bukayo Saka, who is dragging feet over a decision between Nigeria and England at full senior level, Akinola has set a similar saga in motion after his switch to Emirates Stadium at the start of this week.
This is despite a notable observation that Akinola only moved over to Emirates Stadium after he failed to agree financial terms with Huddersfield Town over a new deal and the midfielder will first have to feature for The Gunners’ under-23 team in the English Premier League 2.
That means he will now join Saka in Arsenal’s main squad right away this season after inking a two-year deal that is bound to keep the 19-year-old schemer at the North London outfit until June 30, 2022.
Aside looking up to Saka, Akinola, who was with Lincoln City before joining Huddersfield in the summer of 2019 and spent part of last season on loan at lowly Brighouse Town, is expected to get lots of support at his new base from The Gunners’ Nigerian array of Miguel Azeez, Folarin Balogun, Ryan Alebiosu, Arthur Okonkwo, Mazeed Ogungbo, Daniel Oyegoke, James Olayinka and Tolaji Bola.
He qualifies to feature for the Super Eagles because he was born in Nigeria, but he can also opt to choose to play for England, where he was raised and has already started gaining attention from the Football Association due to his celebrated move to Arsenal, with an invitation to The Young Lions likely to be on the cards, especially if he impresses in the upcoming season.
On the other hand, additional information indicates that the top brass of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have been sounded out about the possibility of inviting the highly-rated teenager to one of the youth teams.
A report by allnigeriasoccer.com added that Eagles’ top scout based in Europe, Tunde Adelakun has opened a line of communication with the player’s camp over a call-up to the Nigerian squad, in spite of feelers already indicating that Arsenal would prefer him to represent England at senior national team level.
