Nigeria has stepped up efforts to secure the international allegiance of Newcastle United forward William Osula, with officials initiating contact to persuade the in-form striker to represent the Super Eagles instead of Denmark.
The approach comes at a critical juncture in Osula’s international career. According to Tipsbladet, the 22-year-old was recently called up to the Danish senior squad by head coach Brian Riemer for World Cup qualifiers against North Macedonia and the Czech Republic in March but did not make his debut—leaving him eligible to switch allegiance under FIFA rules.
Sources indicate that Nigeria is seeking to capitalise on that window, leveraging the player’s Nigerian heritage to lure him away from the Danish setup. The striker, who has impressed at youth level with eight goals in 15 appearances for Denmark’s U21 side, is yet to be cap-tied to the senior national team.
Osula’s rising profile has further intensified the interest. The Newcastle attacker has hit strong form in the Premier League, scoring three goals in his last four appearances, including a decisive strike against Manchester United and another goal against Bournemouth. His recent performances have underlined his growing reputation as one of the promising young forwards in Europe.
Denmark coach Riemer has previously highlighted Osula’s qualities, praising his pace and impact. “He has an exceptional core competence with his speed, and then he has a pressure game that is insanely good. He comes in with something in the camp that can help the team to that extent, and then he is really good at coming in and changing football matches,” he said during the last international window.
Despite that endorsement, Denmark’s failure to cap the striker during the qualifiers has opened the door for Nigeria’s move. With the Danish national team now set to play friendly matches in June following their unsuccessful World Cup qualification campaign, uncertainty remains over whether Osula will feature in upcoming squads.
The Danish Football Association has yet to comment on Nigeria’s approach, while the player himself has not publicly declared his international preference.
