Portuguese league leaders Porto look to sign Kelechi Nwakali on loan until the end of the season

FORMER Golden Eaglets skipper and Arsenal player Kelechi Nwakali could become the next Nigerian to move in the current January transfer window as Portuguese club Porto are looking to take him on loan for the rest of the season.

Nwakali, 19, won the golden ball at the 2015 U-17 World Cup which Nigeria won and was subsequently signed by English Premiership giants Arsenal. Having signed him Arsenal proceeded to send the player out on loan, with him playing for Dutch side Maastricht last season and Venlo during the current campaign.

This season, however, Nwakali has not enjoyed as much playing time as he did during the 2016/17 campaign and Arsenal are surprised that this prodigious talent is not a regular at Venlo. Highly talented, Nwakali can play both as a box-to-box midfielder and as a playmaker behind the attack and has been touted as Nigeria's long-term replacement for Mikel Obi.

With Nigeria a bit short in midfield at the moment when it comes to creative playmakers, Nwakali has been touted as a wild card Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr could use come the World Cup. However, to get into the Russia 2018 squad, Nwakali will need to get a bit more playing time and a move to Porto might just secure him this.

Nwakali has only played 12 times for Venlo in  all competitions this season and his brother, Allwell said that Arsenal are working on ending his association with the Dutch club as they are discussing with Porto over a short-term loan deal. However, the Portuguese side are eyeing a permanent deal for the player at the end of the season of which the Gunners are not willing to agree to.

Allwell Nwakali said: "Arsenal decided to bring him out from VVV Venlo because the coach was busy playing the players that came from relegation with him leaving players like Kelechi and some other loan players on the bench.  FC Porto of Portugal are interested and even wanted an option to buy but Arsenal are not interested for such opinion because they need Kelechi soon in the main team."

On January 31, the transfer window will close but so far, several Nigerian players have moved during the month-long opening. Shehu Abdullahi has moved to Turkish club Bursaspor from Anorthosis Famagusta in Cyprus, Tyrone Ebuehi has signed for Benfica from Dutch club Ado Den Haag and Anthony Ujah has joined German side Mainz from German club Liaoning Whowin.

Porto are currently top of the Portuguese league and are still in the Uefa Champions League where they will be facing Liverpool in the last 16 next month. Traditionally, Porto has been one of Portugal's big three clubs alongside Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.