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.