Rangers star informed of first int'l call-up - report

Emmanuel Fernandez is set to receive his first international call-up and Nigeria have already informed the Rangers defender.

The centre-back will join the Super Eagles for the first time after an impressive season at the Gers.

Eric Chelle is set to reward the 24-year-old for his form at Ibrox after convincing him to commit his future to the West African country.

Fernandez has been influential for Danny Rohl in recent weeks, and the former Peterborough United ace will now have an opportunity to succeed with Nigeria, which he’s eligible to represent through his parents.

When can Emmanuel Fernandez make Nigeria debut?

Nigeria are set to take part in a four-team friendly tournament at the end of March, which will take place in Turkey.

The Super Eagles will face Jordan, Iran and Costa Rica and it will be interesting to see how many minutes Fernandez gets as he’s set to receive his first call-up, according to The Rangers Review.

Chelle relied on the likes of Hull City’s Semi Ajayi and Fulham’s Calvin Bassey as his two centre-backs at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Gers defender will face decent competition at the Super Eagles and the experience will surely only make him better.

When the Light Blues initially signed the centre-back from Peterborough for around £3million, raising eyebrows in Govan, but fans will now certainly feel he was worth the money.

Fernandez’s partnership with Nasser Djiga has been solid for Rohl and it feels like that will be the first-choice pairing in the final stretch of the season to close the gap with Hearts in the William Hill Premiership.

Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises to thank Kevin Thelwell

Kevin Thelwell was a disaster at Rangers, with the former sporting director quickly turning into a villain at Ibrox.

The ex-Everton chief signed 12 players at the Gers last summer and it’s safe to say most haven’t lived up to expectations.

Fernandez is one of the few summer additions that Thelwell can be proud of, with the Glaswegian outfit’s hierarchy undoubtedly thankful for the decision now.

Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises will likely feel that if the centre-back can shine for Nigeria, more teams will show interest in him, potentially driving up his price tag.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.