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Nigeria are to approach former England U21 captain Nedum Onuoha for a second time in a bid to persuade him to play for them after a recent change in FIFA rules, national coach Shaibu Amodu said.

Ahead of the Sunday August 6 World Cup qualifier against group leaders Tunisia, Amodu said that a programme to tap up players with Nigerian roots would be launched in the next weeks.

"We have sent word to Nedum to see if he will be interested," Amodu said.

"We will get new players but first we have to qualify (for the World Cup finals)."

Manchester City defender Onuoha, 22, is eligible to represent Nigeria because he has dual nationality and has not won a full cap for England. He has 22 caps for the U21 side.

FIFA voted in June to remove the age limit on changing national teams.

Nigeria's initial approach to Onuoha two years ago was turned down.

Other potential targets for Nigeria include Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi, who has also been capped at U21 level by England, and Dennis Aogo from Hamburg.

Both Onuoha and Ameobi, 27, were born in Nigeria but raised in England.

While Onuoha has a realistic chance of one day playing for England, Ameobi's career with Newcastle has stalled due to injuries, although he is currently in the Championship side's first team.

Aogo is German-born with a Nigerian father. He was a member of Germany's winning team at the recent European U21 championships in Finland.

Reuters