Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi is combing the world for a creative midfielder in the mould of the legendary Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha.

MTNFootball.com has gathered that top priority for the new Nigeria coach is to restore creativity in the team’s midfield after Zambia exposed how ordinary that department is in the recent friendly in Kaduna.

The Chipolopolo outclassed Nigeria in the middle of the park even though they eventually fell 2-0 to the superior fire power of the Eagles.

Keshi and his assistants have started a search for new players with emphasis on creativity, commitment and discipline.

“Keshi is desperate for a creative midfielder like the great ‘Jay Jay’. He has therefore been asking around for such a player to be part of his team,” a top source told MTNFootball.com

The NFF plans to start camping of local players. The essence is to build a new national team that will be of strong character.

The Eagles midfield has been bereft of creativity since Okocha quit international football and John Mikel Obi failed to fit into the great man’s big boots.

Already several prospects have been tabled before ‘Big Boss’ Keshi.

They include Christian Obodo, who seems to have rediscovered himself at Italian club Lecce; USA-based Emmanuel Ekpo and Rabiu Ibrahim, who has been battling for more playing time at top Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

Both Obodo and Ekpo have already been capped at full international level, while Ibrahim has yet to be so honoured.

Heartland playmaker Bartholomew ‘Mosquito’ Ibenegbu and Isiaka Olawale from Kwara United could well be two such players he would run the rule on.

After the 2013 Nations Cup qualifiers against Rwanda, Nigeria will kick start their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign at home on June 1 against Namibia.

Malawi and Kenya are the other teams in their qualifying section.