Why Nigerian players are not involved in the big transfer moves

Despite extensive rumours, Nigeria's high-profile players are largely still at the clubs they were at last season. Why have so few deals been done?

African players have largely been out of the transfer headlines this summer.
There was Serge Aurier’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, of course, while Didier Drogba has returned to Chelsea, but largely, the gossip columns have been dominated by the likes of Luis Suarez, James Rodriguez, Diego Costa and Alexis Sanchez.


When the news of Ideye Brown's move to English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion was revealed, many Nigerian fans celebrated it as a good move. Others, however, considered it demotion—Ideye was, after all, leaving Dynamo Kyiv, domestic giants and regular European competitors for a team that struggled to avoid the drop to the Championship last season.
During the World Cup, there were reports linking some of the Eagles' top performers to top European clubs, but with the EPL season only days away, those moves have largely yet to materialise.
Kenneth Omeruo, arguably Nigeria's best outfield player at the World Cup, returned back to Middlesbrough, where he had spent the second half of last season.
This particular transfer move raised a few eyebrows, as many Super Eagles fans struggled to find any viable reason behind his parent club, Chelsea's, decision to send one of their highly-rated youngsters to a Championship side rather than earn some pre-season playing time, like Kurt Zouma or Nathan Ake.
Similarly, the likes of Michel Babatunde and Emmanuel Emenike were linked with moves to major European leagues but, at the time of writing, remain at the same clubs they were at last season. John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and Ogenyi Onazi have all also been named as transfer targets for one side or another, but the reported interest is yet to lead to anything substantial.
The question many are asking is “Why then are the Super Eagles' stars finding it difficult to land decent moves to bigger clubs?”
For some time now it has seemed that players from the African continent are less highly-rated than their compatriots from Europe and South America.
It's obvious that the European media’s player ratings is part of the reason why clubs generate interest in them.
Are African players truly getting the credit they deserve?