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Chelsea news: Tammy Abraham refuses to rule out playing for Nigeria after hat-trick against Wolves

The striker was capped twice by England in 2017 but remains eligible for Nigeria, the country of his father

Harry Latham-Coyle

Monday 16 September 2019 11:33 BST

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Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has suggested he is open to a Nigeria call-up.

The 21-year-old scored a hat-trick to take Frank Lampard’s side to a 5-2 victory against Wolves on Saturday, and is the Premier League’s joint top scorer with Sergio Aguero.

But Abraham missed out on Gareth Southgate’s latest squad, and despite winning two caps in 2017 for England, he has refused to ruled out a switch to Nigeria, the country of his father.

“I have heard the talks and I’ve not really been focused on that yet,” he said on his international future after the Wolves win.

“I think when the time comes, the time comes. We never know.

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

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1/24Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

England XI and squad for Euro 2020

Gareth Southgate has the most exciting front line of a generation but has decisions to make in defence and midfield

PA

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Nick Pope

The Burnley goalkeeper is an excellent shot-stopper and a very competent backup to Pickford.

Getty Images

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Tom Heaton

Another extremely good shot-stopper, Heaton would also be a reliable option to call upon if injuries struck.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Kyle Walker

Walker’s pace is his best asset, but he has proved at Man City that he is capable of playing in a technical set up. His attributes over that of Aaron Wan-Bissaka are more suited to Southgate’s style of play.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Joe Gomez

Gomez has been very unlucky with injury, and needs a run of games to remind people that he is a very good centre-back. He is capable of defending, reading the game and at playing out from the back.

AFP/Getty Images

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - James Tarkowski

His clubmate Ben Mee has somehow alluded an international call up, but Tarkowski is a very talented defender who delivers a 7/10 minimum in almost every game.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - James Tarkowski

Chilwell is still developing as a left-back at Leicester and is good, without excelling, both defensively and offensively.

REUTERS

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Declan Rice

Rice is another who’s enjoyed a quick rise to the England squad, and is a promising ball-winning midfielder. Without having top-level experience it is hard to argue for him to start over Henderson.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Mason Mount

Mount, despite his age, has demonstrated his game-changing ability and possesses excellent decision-making ability that earmarks him ahead of more experienced midfielders.

REUTERS

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - James Maddison

Maddison perhaps operates best as a no.10, a position Southgate has not really used. However, his playmaking and set-piece abilities are a valuable weapon off of the bench despite not yet being capped.

REUTERS

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Another who needs to prove his fitness to remind people of his talent, Oxlade-Chamberlain is quick, can beat a man, and is capable of playing most midfield positions.

Getty Images

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Callum Hudson-Odoi

Hudson-Odoi has displayed a lot of ability in his short career at club and international level, and is another who is an excellent option to have from the bench.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

Bench - Marcus Rashford

Rashford’s role in this squad is to provide coverage across the front line, and his pace and attacking versatility could prove very valuable later in the tournament.

Getty Images

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

GK - Jordan Pickford

Pickford has not quite progressed at the rate many thought he would when he first signed for Everton, but he remains a good stopper and his distribution is a useful tool for Southgate.

EPA

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

RB - Trent Alexander-Arnold

Although he is less defensively capable than his right-back contemporaries, Alexander-Arnold’s technical and set-piece abilities are a weapon that England should look to exploit.

REUTERS

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

CB - Harry Maguire

Despite giving away a penalty against Kosovo, Maguire is the most ‘solid’ out of England’s centre-backs and his aerial presence in both boxes can be game-changing.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

CB - John Stones

Centre-back has been England’s Achilles heel for several years, with all of the candidates looking error-prone at times. Stones has experience and ball-playing ability on his side, which suits Southgate’s style of play.

PA

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

LB - Danny Rose

Rose gets the nod over Ben Chilwell because he is slightly more athletic and defensively capable and has the advantage of playing for a top club, making him more suited to the intensity of tournament football.

Getty Images

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

DM - Jordan Henderson

Although he has box-to-box capabilities, Henderson’s ability to sit back and allow other players to be more creative is invaluable and his contributions often go undervalued.

Action Images via Reuters

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

CM - Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Despite being currently injured, Loftus-Cheek at his peak is a devastating midfielder and has a fantastic talent for carrying the ball between the lines. Having said that, he must get fit and start regularly for Chelsea soon.

REUTERS

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

CM - Dele Alli

When England (hopefully) advance to the latter stages, they are likely to line up more defensively, but the dual threat of Alli and Loftus-Cheek in the final third could be very potent for the Three Lions.

Getty

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

LW - Raheem Sterling

Sterling has been in world-class form for the last two seasons and is one of the first names on the teamsheet. Playing in his favoured position on the left allows him to replicate his phenomenal performances for Manchester City.

EPA

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

RW - Jadon Sancho

Sancho is another who possesses frightening natural ability, but is equally capable of coming inside and playing quick passes as he is beating someone for pace and driving in a cross and should be a sure starter next summer.

Getty

Picking England's XI and squad for Euro 2020

ST - Harry Kane

Captain Kane is England’s only striker who plays at a high level for club, with Marcus Rashford preferred out wide for United. Kane has already demonstrated his scoring potential at a major tournament...

Getty

“You can never say never, whatever comes first really. It is about focusing on Chelsea and hopefully scoring goals and getting victories.”

In 2017, Amaju Pinnick, president of the Nigerian Football Federation and a childhood friend of Abraham’s father, claimed that a then 19-year-old Abraham was ready to play for Nigeria.

While those claims were swiftly rebuffed by the Chelsea striker and he made his England debut soon after, Abraham’s latest comments appear to have reopened the door.

Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi (both Nigeria) and Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast) have all eschewed England eligibility to play for the countries of their birth after playing youth team or, in the case of Zaha, international football for England. Abraham was born in central London.

Abraham could make his Champions League debut on Tuesday night, with Valencia Chelsea’s first opponents at Stamford Bridge.

“I have grown up watching big stars playing in the Champions League, and to play in it myself would obviously be a dream,” he said of a potential debut.

“Players like the gaffer (Frank Lampard), Didier Drogba and John Terry are great legends. They have been there and done it. I would like to follow the same path.

“I am delighted to be scoring goals for a team I have grown up loving and have always wanted to play for. It is just an amazing feeling and hasn’t kicked in yet.

“Hopefully this is the beginning of a great career at Chelsea. I’m living the dream and I need to keep it running.”

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