Huge blow for Nigeria as Joshua Zirkzee handed late call-up to Netherlands' Euro 2024 squad 

The international future of Bayern Munich academy product Joshua Zirkzee could be decided as early as Sunday, June 16, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

The Royal Dutch Football Association officially confirmed on Wednesday that the Bologna striker has been handed a late call-up to the Netherlands squad for the 2024 European Championship.

Zirkzee has been added to the roster in the wake of the injury problems that have seen Teun Koopmeiners and Frenkie de Jong withdraw from the final squad.

Ajax Amsterdam striker Brian Brobbey is struggling to be fit for Netherlands' opener against Poland, having left training on Wednesday due to hamstring issues 

Although an MRI scan revealed no damage, manager Ronald Koeman does not want to take any risks and has handed Teun Koopmeiners' spot to Zirkzee. 

The 23-year-old, eligible for the Super Eagles through his mother, will become cap-tied to his country of birth, Netherlands if he makes his senior debut against Poland at the Volksparkstadion, Hamburg on Sunday. 

Zirkzee became provisionally cap-tied to the European nation after featuring in a European U17 Championship qualifier against Hungary in October 2017.

The Schiedam native was a player of interest to the Nigeria Football Federation during Gernot Rohr's reign as coach of the Super Eagles. 

Rohr, now coaching Republic of Benin's Cheetahs, saw firsthand the qualities of Zirkzee when he personally scouted him on his full Bundesliga debut against Hoffenheim in February 2020, but his efforts to persuade the dual-national to change his allegiance from the Netherlands to Nigeria were ultimately futile.

Zirkzee has cut short his vacation in the United States and will link up with the Netherlands squad at their training camp in Wolfsburg on Thursday.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: knvb.nl

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