Junior Ajayi targets Super Eagles return after dashed Afcon hopes

Al Ahly of Egypt forward Junior Ajayi hopes he will get the chance to make a return to the Super Eagles after he was omitted from the squad to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Ajayi was one of the six players placed on standby list by Nigeria head coach, Gernot Rohr ahead of AFCON 2019, but he never got the chance to make the final squad.

Odion Ighalo’s retirement from international football is expected to open doors for new strikers in the team and Ajayi is hopeful.

“It will be nice to be back in the Super Eagles. I was on the standby list for the AFCON but I hope that things will get better with time,” Ajayi said.

“The main ambition for me now is to be part of the main team and be playing regularly as well.

“I know that will only come with hard work on pitch. I just to have to keep working hard to get to the required level.”

Ajayi won his fourth Egyptian league title on Wednesday after Al Ahly defeated Al Mokawloon 3-1 at the Borg El Arab Stadium, their last match of the season against Zamalek notwithstanding.

Ajayi has earned one cap with the Super Eagles, coming on as a substitute in a pre-World Cup friendly against Serbia last year.