PESEIRO WANTS SUPER EAGLES DEFENDER OKOLI FROM ATALANTA TO JOIN THE TEAM

Jose Peseiro

The Atalanta defender will be persuaded to relinquish his Italian allegiance by Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro.

Okoli is of Nigerian heritage and was born in Italy.

Although the 21-year-old has played for Italy at the youth level, he is still qualified to represent Nigeria.

The center-back plays for Atalanta with Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman, and Peseiro has said he will charge the latter with convincing Okoli to commit his future to Nigeria.

"Yes, we will try. After this friendly match against Portugal, there will be time to talk to him and to understand his decision," Peseiro told Tuttomercatoweb.

"Whether he wants to play with us or not. I will talk to him through Lookman: I will present my model to him, what do I think of him, the project we can have together with Nigeria."