Is Nigeria’s Kenneth Omeruo Chelsea’s best kept secret? – Read What BBC Wrote About Nigeria’s Rising Star

“I get a lot of messages from Nigerians asking me how is Michael Essien? How is Samuel Eto’o? Have you spoken with them?” Omeruo told BBC Sport. 

“These are players that fans adore in Africa. And training alongside the big names, the likes of [Frank] Lampard and [Fernando] Torres is really, really good. I get to test myself and find out if I’m really ready. 

“Eto’o, Essien, John Mikel Obi, Demba Ba, they always say well done. The encouragement from these big players has been really good.

“Every player jokes with everyone, it doesn’t matter how old you are and that’s important for a young player. 

“Recently I was with Essien at his place, I met his family – it’s really nice outside football to get some advice from the other senior players.”

“Our aim with Nigeria is to get to the semi-finals in Brazil and try to win something,” he said. 

“We don’t want to be among the teams that just want to qualify, we want to actually get to a stage that would actually shock people. 

“There’s a real confidence, the players are young and we’re like family thanks to the coaches and the way things are done. We really have unity.”

“I never expected my career to go as quick as it is now,” Omeruo admitted. 

“I thought that maybe by the time I got to the stage of playing at a World Cup, players like Essien and Cristiano Ronaldo would have retired. 

“But I’m really happy with the way my football career has developed and I just have to concentrate and keep working hard. I’m really looking forward to the World Cup. 

“We don’t mind who we get in the draw. We’ve shown we can play well against the best teams.”

“I haven’t really spoken to manager Jose Mourinho about it but I just have to give my best in training and hope that he recognises it,” he said.

“For now I just want to focus and see if I get a chance to play for Chelsea and then when it comes to January I’ll see what the options are.

“I’m hoping to get into the team and start playing because the World Cup is just around the corner. 

“Mourinho has a great impact on the players, he makes you want to play your best and value an opportunity when it’s given to you. He’s a great coach.”