ADO Den Haag afraid Tyronne Ebuehi would miss Russia 2018

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Jun 06, 2018. 09:30

ADO Den Haag’s director of football, Jeffrey van As, has admitted that the Eredivisie club was afraid that Tyronne Ebuehi would not make the final cut for Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup squad.

The 22-year-old right-back struggled through injury in the latter stages of the 2017/18 season and missed Den Haag’s final five matches.

However, the defender’s inclusion in the Super Eagles’ 23-man roster means the Dutch club, who sold the player to Benfica last month, will receive monetary compensation from FIFA due to his participation at the upcoming tournament.

“In the winter we could have sold Ty. We thought: if we keep him, we can still get that World Cup compensation fee in addition to the training allowance,” van As told Voetbal International.

“When he got injured a while ago, we were afraid that he would not make it to the World Cup, then our plan had fallen apart. But it worked out just fine.”

He added: ''If a top club like Benfica signs him for five years, then that says something about his qualities.

“I also see him as one of the very good right backs in the Netherlands last season, but apparently the top clubs from the Eredivisie did not believe in him.

“As far as I am concerned, it is a shame that a talented boy like him is already going abroad.”

Ebuehi made his sixth appearance for the Super Eagles in their 2-1 loss to England on Saturday and subsequently survived manager Gernot Rohr’s final squad trim.