The transfer buzz around Obiora Nwankwo seems to be gathering momentum.. Allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively reveal that Serie A side Catania appear to be in pole position in the race to land the midfielder and are ready to put their money where their mouth is.

Obiora, who made his competitive debut for the Super Eagles in Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Namibia, is originally owned by Inter Milan, who landed the player from Eco Football Club of Lagos after the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009.

But in January 2011, they sold half of their economic rights of the player to fellow Seria A team, Parma and loaned him there.
Now, with only one season remaining on Nwankwo’s contract with Inter, the player’s career future needs to be sorted out as quickly as possible.

Catania are the most serious of the teams that want the midfield ace. Parma would not mind him returning to them but cannot guarantee him a regular place in their first team. Inter will not also guarantee he will play week in week out, but want to keep him for the future, so are ready to extend his contract.

Catania would want to buy Obiora outright but Inter are not ready to sell.

Instead, they wouldn’t mind another co-ownership of the player with Catania and are asking the Sicilian club to pay 1.5 million Euros for 50 percent of the player. The player would then join Catania on loan for the 2012/2013 season.

French Ligue 1 club Toulouse and another Italian team Cesena were earlier in the running for Obiora but the pendulum is now swinging towards Catania.