Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has revealed the reason behind his shock return to Nigerian club, Kano Pillars.

Musa, 28, teamed up with his former club Kano Pillars on Tuesday April 13 after reaching an agreement with the Northern club, which includes a clause that allows him to leave when he finds a club in Europe.

Musa has been without a club since leaving Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr in October and in January he was close to joining Premier League club West Bromwich Albion but a deal failed to materialize due to financial difficulties.

Nigerians were left shocked by his return to Kano Pillars where he started his career and played from 2009 to 2012, before leaving for Europe. Musa has now explained his reason for the move.

In a chat with BBC Sport Africa Musa said "Anything that improves the image of Nigerian football is something that I strive to embark on and Kano Pillars holds a special place in my heart".

"It's the team that helped me become the professional footballer I am today, so this is more than just football but a very strong bond."

After leaving Nigeria in 2012, Musa teamed up with Russian side CSKA Moscow and then went on to play for Leicester City.

Musa won three Russian Premier League titles, Russian Cup, Russian Super Cup, Saudi Professional League trophy and Saudi Super Cup and recently helped the Super Eagles qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.