Leicester City make £15m bid for Ahmed Musa as Palace join race to sign Emenike

ENGLISH Premier League leaders Leicester City have had a $21.6m (£15.1m) bid for Super Eagles skipper Ahmed Musa rejected by his current club CSKA Moscow who value the winger at about $27m (£18.9m).

 

With the European transfer window open until January 31, clubs across the continent are intensifying their efforts to sign several players over the next week. Leicester, who are the surprise leaders of the Premiership, are hoping to strengthen their title credentials by bringing in the pacey Musa to play upfront alongside their leading goalscorer Jamie Vardie and Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez.

 

Musa, 23, currently has a $32.5m (£22.8m) buyout clause in his contract, which runs until 2019, meaning that any club which bids for this amount can have him.  Leicester is expected to return with an improved bid for the player who has scored 10 goals in 29 games this season and 11 times in 56 appearances for Nigeria.

 

A former VVV Venlo player, Musa, who made his international debut against Madagascar in September 2010, scored twice in Nigeria's 3-2 loss to Argentina at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He also became the first Super Eagles player to score twice in one game at the World Cup in that match.

 

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace has put in a rival bid to West Ham who are looking to sign Fernebahce striker Emmanuel Emenike. Last week, the Hammers made an offer to take the 28-year-old on loan with the view to a permanent transfer in the summer but their fellow Londoners known as the Eagles have decided to enter the fray too.

 

Palace boss Alan Pardew wants another option up-front as he could lose Connor Wickham for three matches after he was charged by the FA with violent conduct. Emenike, who was of interest to Tottenham several years ago, has been playing on loan in Dubai for Al Ain and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic knows him from his time in charge of Besiktas in Turkey.

 

In a related development, Super Falcons' Asisat Oshoala is close to joining Women Super League side, Arsenal Ladies, after Liverpool Ladies reluctantly accepted an offer for the player. The Gunners have activated a release clause in the Super Falcons' striker contract with the Reds and the transfer will be completed after the 21-year-old receives a work permit ahead of the 2016 season.