In a surprising turn of events, Nigeria’s head coach Eric Chelle has opted to withdraw his pursuit of FC Volendam midfielder Gibson Yah, a player previously earmarked as a key addition to the national team.
Yah, who is just 22 years old, was a top target for Chelle, who had engaged in discussions with both the player’s father and his representatives regarding a potential switch to represent Nigeria ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Although initial conversations indicated a promising direction, Yah’s season took a hit due to a knee injury that kept him sidelined from January until early March. While he has since recovered and is making strides toward regaining his match fitness, Chelle has decided to move on from pursuing the player. A source close to the situation revealed that the decision was influenced by the attitude of those in Yah’s camp.
According to Chelle, “There won’t be any new approach to Yah. His people have other ideas for his international career and we have to respect that and wish him the best of career going forward.”
With this move, the Nigeria senior team will now focus on other targets as they aim to strengthen the squad ahead of the highly anticipated tournament.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
