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Football is, and always has been, massive in Nigeria. The West African nation have produced some truly great players through the years, with the likes of Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu having pulled on the famous green shirt of the Super Eagles.

Nigeria may have only won the Africa Cup of Nations once this so far this millennium, but talented players continue to be brought through and exported to European football, where their abilities earn them big moves and much acclaim around the world.

Arsenal have taken advantage of the supply of stars from the African nation in the past – Super Eagles starlet Alex Iwobi is currently one of their more promising young players – and it’s likely that the north Londoners will look to make use of this again in the not too distant future. With that in mind, here are FIVE Nigerian stars they should be looking at ahead of the coming transfer windows.

Moses Simon

Since Laurent Depoitre’s summer move away from Gent to Porto, Simon has become the key man at Ghelamco Arena. The winger is known for his pace and direct running, which has earned him rave reviews since making his debut in European action for AS Trencin. His performances in Slovakia alerted Gent, who have a reputation for moulding imported talent before selling on, which is ultimately the plan for Simon. Arsene Wener has always appreciated pacey wingers, which may make the 21-year-old appealing to the Arsenal boss.

Kelechi Iheanacho

Players have often moved from Arsenal to Manchester City, but the Gunners are sure to have been impressed by Iheanacho to the extent that they would love to lure him from north to south. The striker is currently some way behind Sergio Aguero in terms of being a starter at the Etihad Stadium and should that situation not change over the coming 18 or so months, he may seriously consider a move.

Wilfred Ndidi

Another Nigerian star shining in Belgian football is Genk’s Ndidi. The 6ft. 2” defensive midfielder is, as his height suggests, a physically imposing player. But he combines his sheer presence with neat technical ability, which has been enough to earn him two appearances for the Super Eagles. Arsenal currently lack a true holder with aerial ability, so Ndidi may be worth keeping an eye on.

Umar Sadiq

Yet to make his senior bow for Nigeria, there is a growing belief Sadiq well progress from the youth ranks before too long following his role in the Super Eagles’ Olympic Games campaign earlier this year. Owned by Roma, the 19-year-old is currently on loan at Bologna, and should he impress, it’s likely that some big teams of Arsenal’s calibre will start sniffing.

Odion Ighalo

Arsenal don’t possess a striker with a mix of pace and power, and although there are some drawbacks to Ighalo’s game, he would offer those two traits in abundance. The 27-year-old has only netted one league goal thus far this season, but he was prolific last term under Quique Sanches Flores, smashing 15 strikes as the Hornets coasted to Premier League safety.

According to reports on DHNET, Aston Villa are sending a scout to watch Anderlecht striker Lukasz Teodorczyk in action against FSV Mainz in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Who?

Well, the Polish attacker has caught the attention of a number of clubs after impressing during a loan spell from Dynamo Kyiv this season, scoring 13 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions for the Belgian outfit.

The 25-year-old also has a good record at international level, netting three times in just nine caps for his country.

What’s the story, then?

Apparently, Villa, along with their Midlands rivals West Brom, will take a closer look at the 25-year-old on Thursday, while Premier League sides Everton, West Ham and Sunderland are all also expected to send scouts to the game.

How much would he cost?

This is where it gets a bit complicated. It seems as though Anderlecht will make the loan move permanent for a fee of around €3m, before selling him on for €13m (about £11.5m).

Do Villa really need a striker?

It’s hard to say. Despite having the firepower of the likes of Jordan Ayew, Ross McCormack, Rudy Gestede and Jonathan Kodjia at their disposal, they have struggled to score goals this season – just 15 in 15 Championship matches.

A new striker like Teodorczyk could help that situation, but you also feel that the quartet mentioned above are likely to come good sooner rather than later, especially with the turn in form the club has shown since Steve Bruce took the reins last month.

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Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has urged his teammates and the supporters not to dwell on their recent misfortune.

Jose Mourinho’s side cannot seem to get over the line in the Premier League at the moment having recorded score draws in their last three top-flight fixtures.

The most recent disappointing result for the Red Devils came on Sunday when they failed to see out victory against Everton only to draw 1-1 at Goodison Park.

Dropping two points was made even worse when the Toffees’ equaliser came in the 89th minute from a Leighton Baines spot-kick after Marouane Fellaini gave away a penalty just 60 seconds after coming on as a late substitute.

United have been the better side in most of their recent matches – dominating possession and stringing decent attacking moves together, but they cannot hold on to their leads.

West Ham United and Arsenal also restricted the Red Devils to 1-1 draws, which has left Mourinho and his men sixth in the league table, 13 points off leaders Chelsea and nine adrift of the top four.

Mata has opted not to focus on the disappointment of United’s run, though, instead insisting that the team need to look ahead to their upcoming fixtures. The Spaniard wrote in his blog:

“We could just say that [the result against Everton] was a pity and how helpless we feel when important points slip away at the end of games that you think you deserved to have won. It’s been like that in the last few fixtures at Old Trafford.

“That was how we felt in the dressing room after the game against Everton, and yet I prefer to look forward, think about the potential of this squad and how united we are in the desire to convert all these draws into wins. We have to look forward; complaining about the bad luck is not worth it. We must close the games and get what we deserve. That should be the only idea in our heads.”

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Arsenal fans may be feeling a little under the weather following last night’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Bournemouth, that saw the Gunners extend their record away from home to three matches without a victory, and dropping two points was an awful result.The draw hands Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur the chance to punish Arsenal for their mistake this evening, with the Gunners potentially falling 11 points behind leaders Chelsea if the Blues win or slipping to fifth if Spurs end the winning run of Antonio Conte’s side.It leaves things looking a little bleak in the red half of North London but the fans can at least take comfort in the fact that they boast one of the world’s finest players amongst their ranks, with Alexis Sanchez possessing an incredible record.

In his last 31 Premier League appearances, which includes 20 games so far this season, Alexis Sanchez has scored or assisted thirty goals during that time- a remarkable record for the Chilean who is on fire.

It makes Arsenal’s quest to extend the South American’s deal in North London even more important as Arsene Wenger would have to splash millions on a replacement who can boast similar numbers.

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As reported by The Daily Mail, Southampton are set to up their interest in Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini after having an initial bid rejected.

What’s the word?

The Mail say that Claude Puel’s side initially tabled a £13m bid for the Italian but are set to return with a fresh £14m offer to test Napoli’s resolve.

The paper also reports that the Serie A are hoping to hold out for £18m before letting their attacking star leave the club.

With West Bromwich Albion and Everton also interested in his services, Saints may have to spend big to land their man.

Who is Gabbiadini?

Manolo Gabbiadini is in his third season at Napoli and isn’t finding first-team football a guarantee, starting just seven league games this campaign. He has featured in the Champions League this season, netting in Napoli’s 3-2 loss to Besiktas.

In a division notorious for tight games that are defined by defensive play, Gabbiadini has managed to score 24 goals in 76 appearances for Napoli during the three-year spell. Previously he starred for Sampdoria and has also made six outings for the Italian national side.

At 6ft. 2″, he certainly has the physical presence to make an impact on the Premier League and is known for his heading ability and hold-up play, alongside his eye for goal.

Only Hull, Sunderland and Middlesbrough have scored less goals this season than Southampton and a reported £14m move for Gabbiadini represents good value for a player who has Champions League experience and international caps for Italy. At 25, he’s a striker who is coming into his prime and could solve the Saints’ striking woes.

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Football does not get much better than Manchester United versus Liverpool. Up there with El Clasico as one of the greatest footballing rivalries, the North-West of England will be at loggerheads on Sunday afternoon.

This season is rare, too, in the fact that both clubs are genuinely competing near the top of the Premier League table. The rivalry is more than a historical, local joust this year – it is potentially significant for the top six.

Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho just add to the intensity of this fixture as well. Two men adored by their respective fan bases will lead their teams into this match with no interest in anything other than three points. Mourinho will unquestionably be the cagier of the two, but he will be well aware that he cannot afford to concede any more ground to the top four.

Manchester United’s recent form makes them an even greater threat, however. Klopp must be wary ahead of this game, particularly considering his side’s defensive frailties, and here are THREE things he must consider ahead of the Sunday showdown…

Record-breaking Problems

Paul Pogba will continue to have his critics, but the world record summer signing for Manchester United has lived up to the billing of late. His performances have controlled the game, created chances and enabled Jose Mourinho to balance his midfield. Aided by the excellence of Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Pogba is the player Liverpool must stop.

Whether this goes as far as to man mark him in possession or to force him to carry the ball more regularly, Klopp must set up a specific plan to deal with his substantial threat.

Easy does it

Philippe Coutinho is expected to return to Liverpool’s XI for this significant Sunday clash after a long injury lay-off. Despite some excellent performances without their superstar Brazilian in the side, Liverpool have missed his moments of magic.

While it is hard to resist putting him straight into the team, Klopp must be 100% certain that there are no risks being taken with his longer term fitness. As important as this game is to Liverpool’s season, losing Coutinho for another period would be far more detrimental than defeat.

Dropping Behind

Liverpool’s pressing approach means they will always adopt a high defensive line. Trying to compress the middle of the pitch, Klopp’s team aim to win the ball back in dangerous areas up the field and spring rapid transitional attacks.

The trouble with this, however, is when a direct ball is played through the midfield press. Space is then found behind the Liverpool defence and quick runners have often ended up through on goal with a simple run down the channels as a result.

In Anthony Martial, Manchester United have one of the league’s quickest wingers. Not only electric over the ground, Martial is a cool finisher and he is a particular threat. Liverpool’s pressing must be perfect to avoid the initial direct ball into Ibrahimovic, who could carve their defence apart with a simple pass behind them.

If Arsenal fans did not already know how vital Alexis Sanchez is to their attack, perhaps this statistic will convince them.Squawka has revealed that the Chile international is the second-highest away-match scorer in Europe’s top five leagues.

As the tweet shows, only Paris Saint-Germain star Edinson Cavani has netted more goals on the road than Sanchez.

The Arsenal star has found the back of the net 11 times on away soil in the Premier League this season, while Cavani has one more goal to his name.

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Interestingly, Sanchez has a better away record than five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who is joint third on the list alongside Alexandre Lacazette with 10 strikes.

Arsenal fans will be happy to see these stats, but it could also make them that much more desperate for the club to tie him down to a new deal.

Sanchez, whose current contract expires at the end of next season, has been in talks with the North London outfit for months, but a deal is yet to be reached over fresh terms.

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The FA Cup returns this weekend as sixteen clubs duke it out for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition. With just two of the eight Premier League clubs fortunate enough to be at home for the ties, the potential for upsets is massive.

One such team hoping to provide a cup shock is Fulham, who host Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.

The Cottagers are enjoying a decent season, much improved from the last campaign, and currently still have a chance of reaching the Championship play-offs.

They’re definitely a danger to a Spurs side coming off the back of a demoralising defeat at Anfield and a shock loss in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.

In the last round of the FA Cup, Pochettino’s men struggled to see off lowly Wycombe Wanderers at White Hart Lane. So Fulham, who defeated Premier League Hull 4-1, will fancy their chances again in front of a hopeful home crowd.

Here are THREE Fulham danger men that could dump Spurs out of the competition…

Tom Cairney

Tom Cairney is enjoying a fantastic season at Craven Cottage and has been one of the side’s most consistent performers in 2016/17.

The attacking midfielder has four assists and a goal in his last ten appearances and was a key part of their impressive 4-1 over Hull in the last round. Overall, he’s scored six and assisted six in 33 appearances, which isn’t a bad return at all for a midfielder.

His passing ability and threat from set-pieces could provide a headache for Mauricio Pochettino and special attention will have to be paid to the 26-year-old or they run the risk of being punished.

Having one of the best seasons of his career so far, if Fulham are to get anything at all from the match, he’ll likely be at the heart of it.

Stefan Johansen

A summer signing from Celtic last year, Stefan Johansen hasn’t wasted any time in settling into life in London. Like Tom Cairney, he provides a significant threat from midfield and has the ability to pierce through the Spurs defence. His eight goals and six assists, primarily from a defensive midfield position, attest to that.

Although he eventually lost his way at Celtic, he was once their star man and won Player of the Year awards ahead of the likes of Virgil van Dijk in Scotland in 2015.

With 33 caps for Norway, he’s well used to playing against elite defences and can certainly give Pochettino’s side a run for their money on Sunday.

He’s been a key performer in this season’s FA Cup too, scoring in the Third and Fourth Rounds against Cardiff City and Hull City. One to watch certainly.

Sone Aluko

If those threats through the central area aren’t enough for Spurs, Fulham also boast potential match-winners on the flank too, most notably tricky winger Sone Aluko.

The skillful 27-year-old has directly contributed to ten goals for the Cottagers this season and netted in the last round against Hull, scoring the vital opening goal.

He can be deployed on the left but primarily plays on the right-hand side. If playing in a right wing role on Sunday, he could be going up against Ben Davies, who looked decidedly ropey at Anfield last weekend.

That could prove to be one of the key duels of the entire match; if Davies can’t get a handle on Aluko then he has a great chance of doing some damage behind the Spurs defensive line.

Eden Hazard is so confident in Chelsea’s form this season that he believes opposing teams accept defeat before they even step onto the pitch.

The Belgian playmaker is referring to the threat the Blues have posed at Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Conte’s team have lost just once at home this season and that was a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on September 16.

In their last 11 fixtures in all competitions at the Bridge, Chelsea have won all of them – the most recent being a 3-1 triumph over Arsenal.

The West London team have looked like a completely different team compared to last season when they picked up just five victories at home in the Premier League.

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Everything is running smoothly for Hazard and his teammates at the moment as they have a comfortable eight-point lead at the top of the table.

Conte’s men have the third-best attack in the division on 52 goals, two fewer than Arsenal and Liverpool, but they have the best defensive record having conceded 18 goals in 25 matches and kept 14 clean sheets.

Hazard believes that opponents arrive at Stamford Bridge with plenty of fear, suggesting that Chelsea have won the psychological battle before the game begins.

In an interview with the London Evening Standard the Belgian said:

“It’s difficult for the opponent to come here and win games. Do I get that feeling that some teams are beaten before kick-off? Yes. We are playing better than last season.

“It’s a little like two years ago when we won the League. I remember the second part of the season back then: sometimes the team didn’t play well, but we always scored at least one goal and Thibaut Courtois would make at least one good save, like against Arsenal. We are in full confidence here on this pitch. You know the fans bring everything, they support us.”

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The FA Cup looks to be the competition that could define Spurs’ season. Although the Premier League title remains a mathematical possibility, a ten-point gap with eleven games to go is perhaps too vast, especially with Chelsea in strong form, while the European adventure ended in Europa League defeat at the hands of Gent after Champions League group stage elimination.

Although finishing in the top four is, perhaps, the big thing for the London club, lifting a trophy could be useful for this emerging group of players and may just be the next step in breeding a winning mentality at the club.

Millwall await in the FA Cup quarter-finals at White Hart Lane, and with the League One club much weaker, on paper, than Spurs, this game should be one the home side come out victorious from.

With this in mind, we asked Lilywhites fans if they want to see Mauricio Pochettino rotate his XI for the match and a significant 67% believe he should risk it…

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