Speaking to our colleagues at tribalfootball.com, Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo has selected a Nigerian, Eddie Newton as the manager he is closest to at Chelsea.

Since a celebrated move to the Stamford Bridge outfit in January 2012, more than seven years ago, The Blues have had six different managers namely Roberto Di Matteo, Rafael Benítez, Guus Hiddink, José Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri.

Having taken in loan spells at ADO Den Haag, Middlesbrough, Kasımpasa and Alanyaspor, Omeruo's decision to pick Newton, who is Chelsea's loan technical coach, would not raise any eyebrows.

''For me the manager I am closest to is Eddie Newton who is in charge of the loan group and every new season, we always train under him, under his supervision and he always comes to encourage us out on loan,'' Omeruo said.

''He has been the person that really believes in me. He has said it right from the start that I have all it takes to play in the big leagues and presently, I am playing in one of the big leagues in the world.

''So, I am happy that I have someone like him in Chelsea who encourages me and funny enough, he is a Nigerian but I don't think Nigerians knows much about him like that.''

Omeruo has impressed on loan at Spanish side CD Leganes this season and has gone the distance in their last fifteen matches in La Liga.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel