Super Falcons team head coach Justin Madugu has confirmed that he is keeping a close eye on Bayern Munich forward Edna Imade, amid growing uncertainty over which country the 23-year-old will choose to represent internationally.
Speaking to Nigerian Football, Madugu revealed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has made several approaches to the player and her representatives, hoping to convince her to commit her international future to the Super Falcons rather than the Spain women’s national team.
Born in Nigeria but raised in Spain, Imade rose to prominence last season after an impressive spell with Granada CF, where she netted nine goals in 11 starts, earning a summer move to German giants Bayern Munich. She currently plays on loan at Real Sociedad in Spain’s Liga F.
“I’ve been following her progress, just like that of many of our players overseas,” Madugu said.
“She had an excellent campaign with Granada last season and is already doing well on loan at Real Sociedad. She is aware that we are monitoring her performance.”
Madugu confirmed that despite multiple efforts, including formal letters to her club and outreach through Nigerian players in Spain, Imade has yet to make a definitive choice.
“Despite several efforts, writing to her club and even reaching out through some of our players in Spain last season, she is yet to fully make up her mind,” he explained.
“Whatever she decides, we respect her decision and wish her good luck.”
Reports suggest that Imade’s representatives may be weighing a possible switch to Spain, but Madugu remains optimistic and emphasized that Nigeria’s door will always remain open.
“I was reliably informed that she was initially keen about playing for Nigeria,” the coach continued.
“I don’t want to believe her representatives are complicating things due to speculated interest from Spain, but we truly value her talent. She would be a great addition to our setup.”
Madugu reiterated his commitment to building a competitive squad drawn from both home-based and overseas talents.
“We want the best players, both home-based and abroad, to give us a blend of strong mentality, character, quality, and experience,” he concluded.
Edna Imade’s case mirrors that of several dual-eligible Nigerian players courted by multiple national teams, as European nations continue to scout players of African descent. For the Super Falcons, her potential inclusion could further bolster Nigeria’s attacking depth ahead of future international competitions.
