Chelsea goalkeeper Shakiru Adegoke gets formal invitation to Golden Eaglets camp

CHELSEA'S teenage goalkeeper Shakiru Adegoke has been officially called up to join the Golden Eaglets squad ahead of the 2019 U-17 World Cup after receiving an invitation letter from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).

Shakiru joined Chelsea in April 2016, after he was spotted playing for the U-12 team of Langley FC and since then has established himself as a member of the youth team at Stamford Bridge.  After waiting for about two weeks for an official invitation letter, he was notified by the NFF on Tuesday, to join the Golden Eaglets in Abuja.

In the letter dated August 27, Chelsea has been asked to release of younger goalkeeper for this year's U17 World Cup taking place in Brazil from October 26 to November 17. Nigeria has been placed in Group B alongside Hungary, Australia and Ecuador, where the Golden Eaglets will be looking to go for a record sixth title.

As a long term plan, the NFF wants to integrate exciting young talents, who have dual nationality, into the national teams while they are youths, rather than approaching them when they become established players for their foreign clubs. This new approach is being championed by NFF vice president Shehu Dikko.

Under this programme, several foreign-based players on the books of English clubs have been invited to train with the Golden Eaglets ahead of the U17 World Cup in Brazil. Already, former Watford teenage sensation Nigel Aris has started training with the Golden Eaglets and Aston Villa's Iffy Udanoh gave a good account of himself during yesterday's workout.