Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah speak on rumours to switch to Ghana from England

Eddie Nketiah say "di future go take care of itsef" as rumour dey fly around say di Crystal Palace striker fit switch allegiance from England to Ghana ahead of di 2026 Fifa World Cup.

Anoda player wey rumour dey spread say e fit switch also be Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Dis gist begin to spread wey pipo dey debate over di mata since di Black Stars qualify for di World Cup for Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Nketiah be di record goal scorer for di England U-21 team wit 16 goals wey e only play for di senior national team only once for one friendly between England and Australia for October 2023.

Under Fifa rules wey dem introduce in 2020, player fit switch nationality if dem no play more dan three competitive games at di senior level bifor dem chop 21 years or dem dey involved for major championship like di World Cup or Africa cup of nations.

"At di moment, I just dey enjoy my football wit Crystal Palace – dat be my main focus," Nketiah tok wen BBC Sport Africa ask am about di rumours wey dey fly around.

"I be Ghanaian and I no fit deny dat. I dey proud of my roots and wia I come from.

"I dey sure say di future go take care itsef and wetin go be, go be."

Wetin pipo dey tok for Ghana

Dem born Nketiah for Lewisham, south London to Ghanaian parents wia e begin im youth career for Chelsea bifor e move to Arsenal.

E play im first game for Arsenal wen e be 18 years for September 2017 – e continue to score 38 goals in 168 games bifor e move to Crystal Palace in August 2024 for £30m.

Di Ghana football association in di past approach Nketiah, as dem dey pursue diaspora talent.

Anoda player wey di association approach, be Chelsea U-21 defender Joshua Acheampong.

Ghana coach Otto Addo tok say some players wey refuse to agree in di past, now change dia mind since di World Cup dey around di corner.

Even say Nketiah no rule out di switch, e deny any recent contact by di GFA.

"Dem no call me recently, so my focus dey on playing well every week to help my team to win trophies," e tok.

"If I dey play well, wey I dey do di right tins, naturally, di international future go sort itsef wen di time reach say make I make decision.'

Ghana coach Otto Addo say dem go treat di mata about players wey neva play for di qualifiers but wan go di World Cup on "case by case' basis.

For one interview wit 3sports last month, di coach tok say: "I tink Ghana need to have some pride as a kontri. We need to check di commitment of each player, sake of di team dey united at dis moment wey I no wan scata am."

Even though di kontri Sports Minister Kofi Adams say di technical team and di coach get di final say about who dem go select for di World Cup, di situation dey confuse some Black Stars supporters.

"Di tin for Ghana be say, dem for no call players wey no accept to be part of di Black Stars to qualify for di World cup,' sports journalists Muftawu Abdulai tell BBC Sport Africa.

"In fact, even some parliamentarians tok dis same mata. If you tok to fans, dem describe dis players wey now dey hustle to play for Ghana afta dem reject us in di past, say dem be opportunistic."

Afta Nketia and Hudson-Odoi, Jayden Addai wey be winger for Como and Netherlands youth international, also dey linked to play for Ghana.

Apart from Chelsea player Acheampong, teammate Tyrique George be anoda England youth player wey fit represent Ghana if e choose to switch – sometin wey oda high profile players like Antoine Semenyo, Tariq Lamptey and Inaki Williams do.

"E reach some time, di ex-president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo even try to personally involve to try to convince Hudson-Odoi; GFA committee pipo also chook mouth for dis mata, dem say make dem no call dis players."

'God don bless me'

Even though Nketiah get football history wit England youth teams, e get connection to Ghana through charity work, wey make am collect award last month for di Best of Africa Awards for London.

"I return to Ghana last summer wey I do plenty work there also I dey try to do more for di community for di youth clubs for di local area where I comot from," di striker explain.

Di Nketiah Foundation dey support children wey dey live wit disability and oda pipo for Ghana – last year, dem organise football tournament for there.

"I feel say God bless me wit dis ability and opportunities," e add.

As di debate online dey only about di possible switch to Ghana, e believe say e dey beta to close eye and ear for dat debate.

"I try to stay away from social media, plenty tins dey there wey be negative and positive, so I try to dey level-headed."