Window of opportunity

Taye Taiwo - remember the name. The Nigeria left back must be wondering what he has to do to hit the jackpot and secure a move to a Barclays Premier League club. Taiwo is exactly the kind of defender who would relish playing in England and he would have no problems fitting in at an ambitious midtable club such as Newcastle United.

The Marseille defender has been linked with a move to St James' Park but Inter MIlan and Valencia are also interested. Taiwo, 22, caught the eye in the Under-20 World Youth Championship in the Netherlands three years ago where he was voted the third-best player in the tournament, behind Lionel Messi and John Obi Mikel. 

Marseille are ready to do business if the price is right - a £5 million offer would tempt the French club - and Taiwo wants to play in England. He was arguably Nigeria's best player in their 1-0 defeat by the Ivory Coast on Monday and he hit the crossbar with a vicious free kick in the first half.

You can see what all the fuss is about when Nigeria play Mali in group B on Friday evening.

Kaveh Solhekol