Super Eagles monitoring Netherlands U19 champion as he embraces Nigerian roots

Precious Ugwu, the highly-rated teenage defender who recently played a key role in the Netherlands’ UEFA U19 Championship triumph, has left Ajax and is sparking excitement around a potential future with the Super Eagles.

Born in Germany to a Nigerian father and a Bosnian mother, Ugwu holds eligibility for four countries — Germany, Nigeria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and the Netherlands, the latter of which he currently represents at youth level.

Speaking during a recent TikTok Q&A, the 19-year-old didn’t rule out donning the green and white of Nigeria:

> “I am now playing for the Netherlands but yeah, I can play for four countries so we’ll see later in the future for which one I’ll decide,” Ugwu said. “But now I’m really happy here.”

The 1.92m centre-back recently sealed a move to Eredivisie side FC Volendam after over a decade with Ajax, where he made 31 appearances for Jong Ajax and earned three senior team call-ups.

Despite not breaking fully into Ajax’s first team, Ugwu left on good terms.

> “Precious is a great defender who has played in our youth academy for a long time,” said Ajax’s Director of Football Marijn Beuker. “It’s a pity he wasn’t able to make the last step to the first team. We wish him the best at FC Volendam.”

Ugwu’s roots are deeply Nigerian — culturally and personally.

> “My father is Nigerian. I love the food — jollof rice, egusi soup, plantain. I’ve visited Nigeria before, I have family there. I am Igbo. I can’t speak it very well, but I understand a lot. I can say ‘kedu’, ‘odinma’, ‘kedu afa gi?’. I also have a Nigerian name — Uchechukwu.”

His revelations come as Nigeria intensifies its pursuit of dual-national players. Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has been actively scouting across Europe, successfully recruiting Werder Bremen’s Felix Agu, who was also eligible for Germany.

Ugwu’s standout performances at the U19 Euros — where he helped the Dutch keep three clean sheets en route to the title — have only strengthened his appeal to Nigeria.

As he begins this next chapter at FC Volendam, where he is contracted until 2028, the decision on his international future remains wide open — but Nigeria is watching closely.