Rohr chasing Bordeaux striker for Super Eagles

Josh Maja

Thursday Aug 29, 2019. 18:00

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has confirmed he is hoping to call on Bordeaux forward Josh Maja for the international friendly against Ukraine in Dnipro next month.

Maja was born in England to Nigerian parents, but as he has not played international football for any other nation, would be available immediately for the Super Eagles.

Rohr met with Maja and his Bordeaux teammate Samuel Kalu and is hopeful he may be able to call on both for the Ukraine clash.

“I ate with Samuel Kalu and Josh Maja, who is a second Nigerian in Bordeaux and is eligible for Nigeria. I already started talking with him about the national team,” Rohr told Le Point G.

“We have a game in Ukraine, and I’ve been informed that it might be too late to get visas for players who do not have a European passport,” Rohr continued.

“But he [Maja] does not have this issue because he is English, so he could eventually join us. It is very possible that I pick him to go to Ukraine.

“For Maja, it would be easier to have him. I have a lot of attackers, but it’s not impossible that I select him.”

Maja scored 16 goals in 41 appearances for English side Sunderland before making the switch to Bordeaux in January, where he has two goals in 10 games, including a strike against Montpellier on August 17.