EPL side Stoke City will not consider a move for Sunday Mba as he did not play enough games for Nigeria to be granted a work permit.

Netherlands-based agent Richard Umejei told MTN Football that a proposed move to the EPL for Mba fell through because in the last two years, the player has only played 10 of the 20 internationals involving Nigeria.

Umejei disclosed: “It’s a pity Mba can no longer go to Stoke City because of work permit issues. He played 10 matches out of 20 matches, which is far below the 75% required for him to be granted a work permit. Had he played another five matches, he would have been good to go.

“Both the Stoke chief scout, Kevin Cruickshank, and director of football, Mark Cartwright, were keen to invite him before they researched that his international appearances fall short of minimum required for a work permit.

Kevin Cruickshank told Umejei, “I’ve been looking into his playing record for Nigeria and I’m not sure he qualifies for a work permit. He has only played 10 of the last 20 competitive games (50%) for his country in the last 2 years.”

Among the games he missed were 2013 AFCON group matches against Zambia and Burkina Faso as well as qualifiers against Liberia both home and away as well as the home game versus Rwanda in Calabar.