Eagles fullback Ola Aina may return to Chelsea following a successful loan spell in Italy with Torino

SUPER Eagles fullback Ola Aina could be on the way back to Chelsea next season as his one-year loan spell with Italian side Torino ended last weekend in style as he picked up the man of the match award in their 3-1 home win.

Aina, 22, a right fullback who has worked his way into the Super Eagles team and looks set to feature for Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations taking place in Egypt this summer is a Chelsea player who came through the team's youth ranks. He joined Chelsea as an 11-year old and has featured for the England youth teams right through from the under 16 to under 20 squads.

 In 2017, Aina pledged his international future to the Super Eagles and obtained a Nigerian passport that enabled him to play in several friendlies and one World Cup qualifier. Although originally part of the provisional 30-man squad that prepared for the 2018 World Cup, Aina did not make the final 23 that went to the tournament in Russia.

After the World Cup, however, his career took off with a blossom as he has shone like a thousand stars since joining Torino on loan from Chelsea during the course of the last season. Impressed with his performance, Torino are now looking to sign him up on a permanent deal and look set to open up talks with Chelsea soon.

Playing in what could potentially be his last game at the Stadio Olimpico, the on-loan Chelsea wing-back started his 22nd league game of the season as Torino last weekend. After a goalless first 45 minutes, the host took the lead six minutes into the second half when a powerful long throw from Aina flew past everyone in the box before reaching Iago Falque who fired home to make the scores 1-0.

Torino are said to be considering a bid of between £9m and £10m but it is not yet clear if Chelsea will sell the player or seek to bring him back to Stamford Bridge. A good Nations Cup outing in Egypt my even boost the player's worth further.