•As Celtic offers £1m for Onyekuru
BY MONICA IHEAKAM
Super Eagles and Watford of England striker, Odion Ighalo is leaving Vicarage Road to China for a record fee of £20m (about N12bn).
According to reports from England, Watford and Chinese club Changchun Yatai have agreed on the said amount for the Nigerian international .
Ighalo becomes the latest Super Eagles player to make mega -money move to China, after compatriot, John Mikel Obi signed for Tianjin TEDA for £140,000-a-week.
Watford head coach Walter Mazzarri, had hinted last week that the club was considering a “very important” offer for the striker and the two clubs have now agreed on the fee, with only a few final details to sort out.
West Bromwich Albion had earlier in the transfer window made enquires to take Ighalo on loan, but were reluctant to match Watford’s valuation.
The 27-year-old who has scored just twice this season following his superb 17-goal return last term – has agreed personal terms with the Chinese club.
Ighalo has struggled for form this season, scoring just once in 18 Premier League appearances, which came back on September 10.
This barren spell is in stark contrast to the Nigerian’s first year in the top flight last season, when he netted 16 in 37 matches.
Ighalo is unlikely to be the only player to leave Vicarage Road before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday.
Hull City have made a £3m bid for midfielder Adlene Guedioura, while Ecuadorian right-back Juan Carlos Paredes is a target for Greek side Olympiakos.
Meanwhile, Scottish champions Celtic have tabled a million pounds offer for Nigerian youngster Henry Onyekuru.
AfricanFootball.com reveal that, Belgian club AS Eupen will prefer Onyekuru takes up a more lucrative offer from Russian champions CSKA Moscow.
Premier League club Liverpool and French Ligue 1 club Nice are the latest clubs to enquire about the left-sided forward, who has scored 10 goals for Eupen in the Belgian top-flight league this season.
German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim and Fenerbache of Turkey are also interested in Onyekuru.
But the 19-year-old forward has made it clear he would prefer to join Celtic after a heart-to-heart talk with former Nigeria World Cup star Osaze Odemwingie.
He has tried to force a move before Tuesday’s transfer window deadline by going missing.
He also remains hopeful he would still get his wish even as the transfer clock is ticking away very fast now.