According to reports exclusively gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria John Obi Mikel could be heading to China on a deal reportedly worth £170,000 a week.

Shanghai SIPG reportedly contacted his representatives with the offer after the last international weekend, but the 29 year old who is yet to play a game at Chelsea under new manager Antonio Conte asked for more time to mull over the offer.

Last season Mikel turned down a move to Shanghai Shenhua opting to remain with Chelsea, where he would be a free agent next summer, a condition that gives him the authority to talk to interested clubs in January.

A nominal transfer fee in the region of £2-5m would be paid to Chelsea for the midfielder, who is currently the second longest serving player in the team behind captain John Terry.

Mikel currently earns £80,000 a week at Chelsea, a figure that makes him the highest earning Nigerian player in Europe, but second behind Obafemi Martins who plays for Shanghai Shenhua in China on the overall list.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are locked in talks with Ivory Coast over a friendly game which could take place next year shortly before the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick confirmed to Owngoalnigeria.com in a chat that talks are already at an advanced stage for the game in London.

” We have lined up series of friendly games for the Super Eagles, already that of Egypt and Senegal is confirmed , and presently we at an advanced stage with Ivory Coast” He told Owngoalnigeria.com

” The aim is to keep them fit for the upcoming World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Cameroon next year. We need games, for our team to be in top shape for the tie.

” We are leading the group but it’s just two games, so we don’t need to be carried away yet. We are leaving no stone un-turned in our bid to be at the World Cup 2018 in Russia”.

Red hot Al-Ahly striker Junior Ajayi scored his third league goal for the Egyptian giants yesterday in their 3-0 win over Talae El-Geish in the league.

Shortly after the game, the Nigeria Olympic team star announced that he is eager to continue his scoring act, which he believes could aid his chances of playing for Nigeria at the World Cup 2018 in Russia.

” I hope to join the Nigeria national team and reach the 2018 World Cup in Russia,” Ajayi was quoted as saying on the club’s official website.

“Sure, if I perform well with Ahly, it’s easy to find a place in the national team squad,” the Nigerian youngster added.

“Nigeria’s national team already has more talented and experienced players, but I am working on improving my performance so I can appear in the Super Eagles squad,” Ajayi said.

The Cairo giants Ahly have signed a four-year contract with Ajayi, who was part of the Nigeria Olympic national team in the Rio 2016 Games, for $2 million from Tunisian side CS Sfaxien.

The 20-year-old Ajayi, is expected to beef up Ahly’s attacking department following the departure of Evouna, who bagged 12 league goals in his side’s triumphant campaign last season.

As exclusively reported by Owngoalnigeria.com on the 17th of November, the steady rise of the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the FIFA ranking continued with the latest rankings released for the month of October by the world soccer governing body on it’s website.

Since the appointment of Gernot Rohr as coach Nigeria have been enjoying a steady climb up the table, thanks to his perfect starts as manager with three victories from his first three games as coach.

Nigeria picked up two high profile win in the period under review beating Zambia away from home 2-1 and Africa’s highest ranked nation Algeria 3-1 in Uyo.

Comfortably on top of their group standings for the World Cup 2018 qualifiers, the victory over Algeria helped them gained more points due to the place of the Foxes in the rankings prior to the game in Uyo.

Super Eagles climbed 10 places and are now 50th in the World and in so doing broke into the top 10 highest rank foot playing nation in Africa as they are now 7th on the continent.

A member of the all conquering Nigeria U-17 team of 2015 John Lazarus is close to agreeing a five year deal with Serie A side Torino.

Lazarus has been very impressive for the U-18s of the team since the start of his trials two weeks ago, after he controversially absconded from Portugal where he was suppose to undergo trials.

Owngoalnigeria.com gathered that the 18 year old who played in all of Nigeria’s game at the U-17 World Youth Championship in Chile, entered talks over a deal at the start of the week.

A five year deal was reportedly proposed to his intermediary who are now thrashing out terms of the deal, which could be made official barring any hiccups.

However he won’t be eligible to join the team immediately until January, when registration reopens for new players in the winter transfer window.

Clubs keen on securing the services of Super Eagles hard as nail defender William Troost-Ekong from Belgian side Gent won’t get his services on a cheap, according to reports gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com.

The 23 year old was voted as one of the best defender in the recently concluded Norwegian league, where he spent the season on loan making 24 appearances with three goals to his name for Haugesund.

Already coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has urged him to move to a club in a tougher league, but for that to happen interested teams must meet Gent’s currently valuation of Ekong.

Troost-Ekong has been out on loan since joining Gent in 2015 on a free transfer from Dutch side Groningen, after a season on loan at another Dutch side Dordrecht.

Now an established senior international with Nigeria after starring for the U-23s at the Olympics in Rio, Gent are demanding a fee in excess of £10m for the Dutch born Nigerian.

Arsenal Egyptian midfield anchor Mohammed Elneny says they beating Ghana was more difficult than when they defeated the Super Eagles of Nigeria this year.

Egypt defeated Ghana 2-0 on matchday two of the CAF World Cup 2018 qualifiers and even though they could only beat Nigeria 1-0 when both teams met this year during the AFCON 2017 qualifiers, Elneny insist that Ghana were much harder to beat than Nigeria.

“We played in a realistic way against Ghana,” Elneny told DMC Channel, as reported by Kingfut. The result was important for us, more important than the performance.

“Hector Cuper makes us play in a defensive way that makes it difficult for any team to score against us.

“In training, eight attackers go against three defenders, and they fail to score, so you can imagine what happens when we are six defenders in the match.

“In general, I think Ghana was stronger than Nigeria’s team which we faced in the Afcon qualifications.’

“Cuper guided Egypt to qualify to the Afcon and also, we are in a good position in the World Cup qualifications.

“The results are very good in my opinion.”

The impending arrival of Gabriel Jesus at Manchester City in January won’t make 20 year old Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho leave the club on loan in January, Manager of Manchester City Pep Guardiola suggest.

The £27m Brazilian is expected to push the Nigerian forward further down the pecking order at the Etihad, presently he has started just three Premier League game this season, from the six times he has played in the league.

When asked what would have to happen to get the 20-year-old more first team opportunities, Guardiola said: “Change the coach maybe!

“Of course he deserves to play, but there are many, many others who deserve to play too.

“Our job is so uncomfortable for these kind of decisions.

“Normally when these guys don’t train good, when they are not nice guys with his team-mates, it doesn’t matter, but that is not the case with Kele.”

Despite Jesus’ imminent arrival, Guardiola is adamant Iheanacho will get opportunities.

“My advice is keep going, keep fighting, sooner or later everything is coming back, and of course he’s going to have his minutes,” he said.

“Until now he played good, but in the big teams sometimes that happens.

“You can play just 11 players and that’s all.”

Head coach of the Nigeria U-17 team Manu Garba says English Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur will regret allowing Nigeria youth International Musa Yahaya leave White Hart Lane.

Shortly after winning the U-17 World cup with Nigeria in 2013, Yahaya was signed on a pre contract by the London based side and spent time training at the club with their youth team.

However days after his contract was turned into a professional one, on his 18 year birthday he was loaned to Portuguese second division side Portimonense and after a fairly successful time on loan he was sold to the club.

Portimonense traded the quick,skillfull and strong forward to FC Porto this summer and Manu Garba who discovered and nurtured the talent of the 18 year old believes Spurs will regret letting him leave.

” I was shocked when they (Spurs) decided to sell him, you can’t let a young talented player leave just like that, he has all it takes to succeed in England, pace,power and finishing, they will definitely regret letting him leave” He told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” He is one player who can do just what Kelechi Iheanacho is doing for Manchester City and am so sure he will be back in England, a better player than when he left”.