Newly Promoted Premier League Club Parades Three Nigerians

While Nigeria lost four Super Eagles players – Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Ihenacho, Paul Onuachu, and Joe Aribo to the Championship from the Premier League in the 2022-2023 season, a newly promoted Premier League club is bringing three Nigerians back to the league.

Luton Town have gained promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs ahead of the 2023-2024 season and they are coming to the league with three players of Nigerian descent.

The three players who have Nigerian ancestry that Luton are bringing to the Premier League are Elijah Adebayo (25-year-old, Forward), Gabriel Osho (24-year-old Defender), and Fred Onyedinma (26-year-old, forward).

On Saturday, the Hatters defeated Coventry City 6-5 on penalties to clinch their place in the Premier League for the coming campaign. Adebayo and Osho started the game for the Bedfordshire-based side, and Onyedinma came in after 84 minutes.

Striker Adebayo scored Luton’s lone goal against Sunderland in the first round of the Championship playoffs and also assisted on their lone goal against Coventry City in the championship game. The 25-year-old participated in 42 games during the regular Championship season, made five contributions, and scored eight goals.

In 17 games for the newly promoted Premier League squad during the Championship season, Onyedinma, who can play both left back and in the middle of the field, contributed two assists.

Even though it is not clear yet whether Adebayo and Onyedima would represent Nigeria or not, it was encouraging to see them celebrate their promotion to the Premier League with the Nigerian flag.

Osho and Adebayo were both born in the United Kingdom, whilst Onyedima was born in Lagos, and his profile on social media describes him as a Nigerian football player.

The good news is that none of the three players have competed for England in any youth competition which means there is a huge chance that they could choose to represent Nigeria in the nearest future.