Allnigeriasoccer.com has been told that Rangers central defender Emmanuel Fernandez remains  committed to representing Nigeria at international level.

Born in London, Fernandez qualifies for the Super Eagles through his father and he's also eligible to play for England.

However, he has opted to pledge his international allegiance to the three-time African champions.

As Fernandez did not feature in a competitive match for England’s Young Lions, he does not require a formal change of association under Fifa regulations.

Sources have informed this website that the centre-back has not yet established contact with either the Nigeria Football Federation or Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle regarding a potential call-up.

His chances of featuring at the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations appear slim, with Chelle already submitting a provisional squad for the tournament in Morocco, combined with the fact that Fernandez has not yet secured a Nigerian passport.

Fernandez’s football journey began further up the pitch: initially a striker, he later transitioned into midfield before eventually settling into central defence.

The 24-year-old joined Rangers with a reputation as a goalscoring centre-back, having netted seven times in 61 appearances for Peterborough United.

He has continued in similar fashion at Ibrox, scoring twice in his first four outings for the Light Blues.

Both Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey earned their Super Eagles debuts while on the books of Rangers, and Fernandez is determined to follow in their footsteps.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel