Babayaro to link up with Nigeria squad

Nigeria defender Celestine Babayaro will join up with the rest of the Super Eagles squad on Thursday, his father claims.

The Chelsea full-back has been undergoing round-the-clock treatment with his Premier League club in a bid to take his place in Adegboye Onigbinde’s starting XI for the Group F opener against Argentina.

Alhaji Sabo Babayaro flew to London last week to help aid his son’s recovery and confirmed to the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) that the player would be in Japan by the Thursday deadline imposed by Onigbinde.

Onigbinde had originally told Babayaro to report to the Far East by Monday at the latest or lose his place.

‘‘He (Babayaro snr) told us that Celestine was yet to travel to Japan because he was receiving round-the-clock treatment from Chelsea medical staff,’’ NFA spokesman Samuel Kaalu told Lagos daily This Day.

‘‘He assured us that his son would join his colleagues in Japan by Thursday at the latest.’’