As Everton targets Echiejile
Super Eagles mercurial midfielder, Mikel Obi, would today join up with his team mates in South Africa for the Mandela Cup Challenge against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa scheduled for the Moses Mahdinba Stadium, Durban.
Mikel, who has been busy with his club’s pre-season build-up in the USA, said he will leave London for South Africa on Monday night.
“I will be in South Africa on Tuesday morning because I will leave London Monday night. It will be an interesting game for both sides as we have World Cup qualifiers coming up soon,” Mikel said.
The bulk of the Eagles squad is due in South Africa on Monday morning.
Wednesday’s friendly will kick off at 6.30 pm Nigerian time.
In a related development, Eagles left full-back, Elderson Echiejile, was one of the early arrivals in South Africa ahead of the friendly match as he flew into the country on Sunday morning.
The Sporting Braga of Portugal star said on his official website www.elderson3.com that Wednesday’s match venue Durban reminds him of his first goal for the Eagles against Mali in the semi-final of the AFCON.
He also said he remembers the beautiful 85,000-capacity Moses Mahdinda Stadium as well as the energetic Zulu dance that preceded the match against Mali in February.
Meanwhile, Everton have earmarked Elderson Echiejile as replacement for Leighton Baines who appears to be on his way out of Goodison Park.
According to The Mirror, Roberto Martinez has identified the Nigerian international left-back as a replacement for Baines, who has been consistently linked with a move to Manchester United.
Echiejile has a release clause of £4 million, but Sporting Braga will be willing to sell for a fraction of that amount, instead of seeing him leave for free at the end of the season, as he has just a year left in his contract with the Portuguese club.
The 25-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Super Eagles in recent years, and has already won 33 caps for Nigeria at senior level.
