Eric Chelle and the NFF have opened talks with Newcastle United forward William Osula about switching his international allegiance to Nigeria, with the 22-year-old increasingly open to committing to the Super Eagles.
William Osula could be heading to the Super Eagles. The NFF and coach Eric Chelle have initiated talks with the Newcastle United forward over a possible switch of international allegiance, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng. Osula, who was born in Copenhagen to a Nigerian-French father and a Danish mother, is eligible to represent Denmark, England, France and Nigeria. He has only played for Denmark at the U19 level in a friendly and has never made a senior competitive international appearance, leaving him fully eligible under FIFA rules to choose Nigeria.
The 22-year-old has Nigerian roots that he wears openly. In the months since he announced himself to a wider audience with a 90th-minute winner against Manchester United at St James’ Park in March, Osula has been consistently linked with Super Eagles discussions. His social media presence reflects a genuine comfort with his Nigerian identity, and sources close to the player suggest the conversations with Chelle have been positive. The NFF’s approach is direct: make the player feel genuinely wanted, move quickly, and make the case for what the Super Eagles can offer. Nigerian football fans can follow Osula’s progress and back the Super Eagles this summer with the Bet9ja promotion code before the Unity Cup kicks off in London.
A Player Chelle Can Build Around
Osula’s profile fits neatly into what Chelle has been constructing. He stands out physically, has Premier League experience at just 22, and brings an attacking directness that complements rather than duplicates what Victor Osimhen already offers. He’s not a direct replacement for the Galatasaray striker; he’s a different type of forward entirely. Quick, powerful, capable of finishing from range as well as in tight spaces, Osula gives Nigeria an option in the final third that they don’t currently have. Werder Bremen defender Felix Agu made exactly this kind of switch from Germany to Nigeria before the 2025 Unity Cup, and his integration into the squad has been seamless since.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has spoken positively about Osula’s development this season, noting his physical attributes and his improving week-to-week form. The striker has made 43 appearances across all competitions for the Magpies since his £15 million move from Sheffield United in 2024, scoring six goals and registering three assists. He nearly left on the final day of the summer transfer window to Eintracht Frankfurt, but that move fell through. His contract runs until 2029, meaning there’s no club-driven urgency to leave, which is important context for understanding his international decision timeline. New Bet9ja users keen on following Nigerian players in the Premier League can grab the YOHAIG promo code before the season’s final Premier League fixtures.
The Decision That Could Define His Career
Osula’s international choice is a genuinely interesting dilemma. Denmark is the country of his birth, where he grew up, and where he took his first steps in football as a youth player at FC Copenhagen. England is where he developed as a professional. Nigeria is where his father’s heritage lies, and increasingly, where his heart seems to be pointing.
Denmark are a competitive European nation, but their attacking options are deep and Osula’s path to regular senior football there is unclear. Nigeria, under Chelle’s stewardship, is a team on the rise that has shown it can give players real minutes and build around emerging talent. The Super Eagles are entering a summer with the Unity Cup in May and two high-profile friendlies against Portugal and Poland in June. That calendar gives Osula a natural window to commit, get his first cap, and establish himself in a setup that will feature prominently in African football for the next generation. Fans tracking Super Eagles transfer and squad news into the summer should grab the YOHAIG Bet9ja promotion code to stay active on all the action.
📌 Did You Know?
- William Osula’s winner against Manchester United at St James’ Park on March 4, 2026, came in the 90th minute and won him the Premier League Goal of the Month award, significantly raising his profile across European football.
- Osula joined Newcastle United from Sheffield United for a reported £15 million in August 2024, with up to £5 million in performance-related add-ons, making him one of the more ambitious signings in the Magpies’ recent transfer activity.
- Under FIFA regulations, a player who has only appeared in friendly international matches at youth level, as Osula did for Denmark U19, remains eligible to switch and represent another nation at senior level, giving the NFF genuine grounds to pursue him.
- Felix Agu, the Werder Bremen defender who switched from Germany to Nigeria ahead of the 2025 Unity Cup, is one of the most recent examples of Chelle’s success in convincing diaspora players to commit to the Super Eagles, providing a template for the Osula pursuit.
- FC Copenhagen, where Osula began his youth career before moving to Sheffield United’s academy, is Denmark’s most successful club, having won multiple Superliga titles and competed in European competition regularly.
- Jacob Murphy, the Newcastle winger who is also of Nigerian descent, was contacted by Chelle earlier in the season about a Super Eagles switch but at that stage preferred to wait for an England call-up, highlighting how competitive the battle for dual-eligible players can be.
- Nigeria’s summer schedule heading into the next major international cycle includes the 2026 Unity Cup in May and friendlies against Poland and Portugal in June, giving any newly committed player a realistic chance of earning an early cap and cementing their place in Chelle’s plans.
