DAILY FOOTBALL INFO

Watford striker  Odion Ighalo  has revealed he rejected a summer move to China worth almost £300,000-a-week to chase his Premier League dream. The in-form forward, who has scored 14 times in the top flight this season, had the chance to join the money-spinning league over the summer. He was promised a sum of £40million over the course of a four-year contract as  the Hornets  were on the brink of returning to the top flight. Ighalo said no, but the offers kept coming, each increasing his pay packet. The latest was double the original. The 26-year-old admitted he almost made the switch when he was given permission to speak to Hebei China Fortune last summer, but is glad he remained at Vicarage Road. "I was very close," he told the  Daily Mail. "They made a £10m bid and were offering me over £200,000 a week; a four-year contract. I couldn’t sleep for three days. That kind of money is not easy to turn down. "Some team-mates in the dressing room were saying, 

Jose Mourinho the brink of getting the job of his dreams by becoming Manchester United manager this summer. In a dramatic twist for Manchester football, it means he would resume his toxic rivalry with Pep Guardiola, who was announced last Monday as City's new boss for next season.

According to ESPN FC sources, Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas is a target for  Major League Soccer  (MLS) outfit New York City, where fellow Spaniard David Villa currently plies his trade. The American side are said to be looking to strengthen their squad after a disappointing MLS campaign in 2015. The former  Real Madrid  shotstopper is the latest star to be linked with a club already boasting the talents of  Frank Lampard , Andrea Pirlo  and  'El Guaje '. Despite the 34-year-old's contract with the Portuguese club running until 2017, ESPN FC sources claim  New York City  are exploring the possibility of persuading Casillas to leave Europe and head to the United States as soon as possible. Casillas won La Liga five times and the Champions League three times in 500 appearances for Real Madrid, as well as captaining Spain to glory in two European Championships  and the nation's first ever World Cup triumph in 2010.

Neymar's father's  High Court testimony  included certain statements that might be deemed normal inside a courtroom, although they may also have bordered on reckless. Aside from telling the judge in detail about every deal tying them to Barcelona, Neymar Sr. came out with the odd comment regarding the player's contractual situation at the club. The judge and the prosecution found it hard to understand why, during his time at Santos, Neymar's release clause was increased from 35 million to 65 million in 2010. At that moment, Neymar's father explained that his son's release clause is currently around the 200 million mark and that they had received a juicy offer worth 190 million (without clarifying where said offer had come from), despite him still being under contract. Neymar Sr. said that he had always managed his son's career, that they stayed on at Santos when it interested them, signed for Barcelona at the best possible moment for them and would move

Daniel Sturridge is ready to quit  Liverpool this summer. Striker Sturridge  is desperate to get back to his best at club level and for England after his injury nightmare , and fears he may have to leave Anfield for the good of his career. The Reds'  boss Jurgen Klopp has voiced his frustrations  both privately and publicly and Sturridge believes it could be time for a fresh start. There would be no shortage of interest in the 26-year-old despite the problems that have limited him to 19 appearances last season and just six so far in the current campaign, because he is still regarded as one of the most talented players of his generation. His previous club, Chelsea, could be interested while the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham are after a top-class striker. Sturridge, 26, is fed-up with the public criticism of his desire to play and is desperate for a chance to get back to playing football. It has been a nightmare 18 months plagued by injuries but he is now back in

Sergio Aguero has been named Barclays player of the month for January. The Manchester City striker struck five times across the month to help keep his side in Premier League title contention with wins over Watford and Crystal Palace. He beat competition from Jermain Defoe, Roberto Firmino, Dele Alli, Kasper Schmeichel and Southampton's Virgil Van Dijk to land the award. But there was better news for the Saints in the manager of the month stakes as Ronald Koeman triumphed. Before that win at Old Trafford , Koeman said the Theatre of Dreams didn't hold the same kind of fright it used to in years go be. “Old Trafford is not really intimidating, no. I think the Man United fans are always behind the team and it’s a fantastic place to play football," he explained. “I had the feeling as a player to win at Old Trafford (was difficult) and the fear factor has changed because that impact came out of the kind of players they had and maybe intimidation was on a higher level tha

Alex Liverpool target Alex Teixeira will become the latest player to move to the mega rich Chinese Super League in the next 24 hours in the biggest transfer deal of the year so far worth around £35million.

ARSENAL  IN: Mohamed Elneny - Basel, £5m Out Mathieu Debuchy - Bordeaux, Loan Glen Kamara - Southend, Loan ASTON VILLA In - Out Callum Robinson - Preston, Loan Joe Cole - Coventry, Free Gary Gardner - Nottingham Forest, Loan Joe Bennett - Sheffield Wednesday, Loan Jose Angel Crespo - Rayo Vallecano, Loan Philippe Senderos - Released

Pep Manchester City have confirmed Pep Guardiola will take over this summer. Outgoing boss Manuel Pellegrini confirmed he will leave City on June 30 to make way for Guardiola.

Manchester United  are lining up a shock loan move for Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy in a bid to ease their full-back crisis. The Red Devils are currently without Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo. United have joined the race for the out-of-favour Frenchman, who is also wanted by Sunderland and Aston Villa. Villa have baulked at Arsenal’s demands for a £1.5m loan fee with any club also expected to cover his £60,000-a-week wages. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said today: “Debuchy [leaving] is a possibility. At the moment it doesn’t look likely but it is still a possibility. Yes [it will be a loan] because it’s impossible to conclude a permanent move now

John Terry has confirmed that he will leave Chelsea  at the end of the season. The Blues’ skipper’s current deal runs into the end of June, but the club have decided not to offer him a renewal. Speaking after the 5-1 win over MK Dons, Terry said: "To be honest, I was in last week before the Arsenal game and it’s not going to be extended. "It’s my last run in the FA Cup so I want to make it a good one. It’s a big season for me and I want to push on - not just in this competition but in the Premier League as well. I knew before the Arsenal game so mentally I’ve kind of accepted it. We just have to move. They said that when the new manager comes in, things might change. It’s a no at the minute. I needed to know now like I have done every January and sometimes it takes a couple of months to get done. Unfortunately it was a no. It’s not going to be a fairytale ending, I’m not going to retire at Chelsea. It’s going to be elsewhere which it took me a couple of days to get over.