Top Brazilian club Sao Paulo will not release exciting youngster Azeez Balogun for the U20 AFCON in Egypt because the competition clashes with one of the biggest youth tournaments in the South American country.
“Azeez will not join the Flying Eagles for the U20 AFCON because he has to feature in the Copa Sao Paulo de Junior right up to the January 25, which will mean he cannot join the team before a final squad list is announced,” a source close to the 19-year-old striker told SCORENigeria
“He could also not join the Flying Eagles for the AFCON qualifiers in May as he was then only finding his feet in Brazil.”
Several top European clubs will be monitoring the Ibadan-born ace at the Copa Sao Paulo, which will attract 120 U20 teams.
Ex-Unique Futbol Academy star Azeez Balogun is a supremely gifted player who plays mainly as a second striker, has enjoyed rave reviews in his first year in Brazil that got him to train regularly with Sao Paulo first team.
The Flying Eagles are set to resume a final training camp in Abuja this weekend.
The U20 AFCON will kick off on February 19 in Cairo, Egypt.
