The Torino defender hasn’t played for the Indomitable Lions since scoring against Egypt in the Afcon final three years ago

Cameroon coach Toni Conceicao has revealed a meeting with Torino defender Nicolas Nkoulou is in the offing over the player’s international future.

The centre-back has shunned calls to return to the Indomitable Lions fold since the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations where he scored in the final win over Egypt.

Three years have passed since, and the player met with the country’s Minister of Sports and Education in December over his absence.

Discussions were positive, according to the minister, so Conceicao will meet with the Torino star in the coming days to convince him to end his time away from international football.

“If [Nicolas] Nkoulou and [Joel] Matip, for example, have chosen not to come back again, it is because there have been problems in the past,” the Portuguese trainer said in an interview with Cameroon Tribune [via Orange Football].

“Personally, what happened doesn’t interest me. I want to focus on the present and the future. In the coming days, we will meet Nicolas Nkoulou, and everything will depend on his availability.

“We will see if he is mentally and technically ready to defend the colours of the country again. Of course, if he doesn’t return, we totally trust the central defenders we currently have in the side to perform.”

Nkoulou could return to the international scene when Cameroon play Mozambique twice in March in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Indomitable Lions have qualified, given they are hosting the showpiece, so their results won’t affect their place in the competition.

Source: Goal.com