Iheanacho tops Mikel as Nigeria’s Highest-Earning Footballer

Iheanacho tops Mikel as Nigeria’s Highest-Earning Footballer

Manchester City wonder kid Kelechi Iheanacho has become Nigeria’s highest earning footballer in the English Premier League, and indeed all of Europe, as he now enjoys an £85,000-a-week take home pay.

With his new bumper pay, Iheanacho has eclipsed Super Eagles skipper John Mikel Obi who has long been Nigeria’s highest footie earner following his move to Chelsea 10 years ago and is presently on 70,000 pounds a week.

This comes after the 19-year-old put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Etihad until 2021.

While describing the new and improved deal as a “dream come true”, the youngster said he could now “change the lives” of his family.

The deal came to fruition despite Iheanacho’s new handlers being locked in an ownership tussle with the player’s previous representatives, who are based in the United States of America.

Following a string of outstanding displays in his 2015/16 breakout year, his agents had initially demanded a staggering 150,000 pounds-a-week deal, a massive shift from his modest 18,000 pounds-a-week pay when he first joined the club, Vanguard writes.

Mikel’s compatriot at Stamford Bridge, Victor Moses bagged a 50,000 pounds-a-week deal when he joined Chelsea from Wigan Athletic in 2012, and will be looking for an improved offer after an impressive start to the current campaign under Antonio Conte.

Watford striker Odion Ighalo, who turned down a whopping €100,000-a-week deal to the Chinese Super league last term, is believed to have improved on his 25,000 pounds-a-week pay following a contract extension at Vicarage Road.