'He Has The Iconic No 10 Shirt' - Ex-Man Utd Defender Brands Nigeria Target Eze An Intelligent Player

Former Manchester United defender Danny Higginbotham has identified the strongest attributes of Queens Park Rangers attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.

Eze has impressed week in, week out this season and has contributed to 20 goals (12 goals, 8 assists) for Queens Park Rangers in the Championship, raising speculation that he could be joining a Premier League club in the upcoming transfer window.

Higginbotham branded the ex-Arsenal youth-teamer an intelligent player and explained why he is good in one-on-one situations.

Quizzed on Eze's strongest attributes, Higginbotham told Sky Sports : "He's a very difficult player to play against. One of the things QPR are always looking for is if they can get the ball to Eze because, as a defender, you don't want him facing one-vs-one.

"He creates a real problem. If I'm a defender playing against him and I know that he's going one-on-one against me, I want help.

"So therefore what you are doing is bringing one of your team-mates over to try and give you the cover, to try and give you the help but that then leaves QPR players free either high up the pitch, across the pitch from him.

"He's such an intelligent player as well. We know he plays in that No 10 position - he has the iconic No 10 shirt, which has been worn by some legendary players in times gone by - but he's capable of drifting out to the left and taking players into areas they don't want to go into."

The 21-year-old Eze was approached by Nigeria Football Federation boss Amaju Pinnick to switch his allegiance from England to Nigeria but he requested to be given some more time to make his decision.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel