Former Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira is interested in the vacant Super Eagles coaching position

Former Premier League side Crystal Palace manager and 1998 World Cup winner with France, Patrick Vieira, is interested in becoming the new coach of the Nigerian national team, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria remain without a substantial coach following the departure of Finidi George as head coach, with Austine Eguavoen taking over the role on an interim basis after talks with German coach Bruno Labbadia failed despite the official announcement of his appointment as coach by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Eguavoen led the team to a 3-0 win against Benin Republic and a 0-0 draw against Rwanda in their first two games in AFCON 2025 qualifying, and is expected to remain in that role for back-to-back games in October against Libya.

A source who asked not to be named to protect the existing relationship said a former NFF boss, who is an Arsenal fan, approached the 48-year-old to gauge his interest in the role and received a positive response.

Vieira recently lost his bid to be the coach of the United States of America, leaving the World Cup winner, who is of Senegalese descent, open to the idea of ​​coaching abroad with Nigeria, an option he would not turn down.

No formal talks are planned for now with Vieira and Nigeria’s football authority is fully behind Eguavoen for the October fixtures.