Duro Ikhazuagbe
Kelechi Iheanacho’s woes at Leicester City may be over this winter window opening in a couple of days from now as the Nigerian starlet may be on his way out of the King’s Power Stadium.
Iheanacho who arrived Leicester during last summer transfer window for a club record fee of around 25 million pounds from Manchester City, has failed to adapt with the Foxes’ style of play and has consistently played second fiddle to Shinji Okazaki.
The Nigerian has not featured for Leicester in any of their last eight EPL outings and should now be looking for a way out in January to boost his chances of making the Super Eagles’ World Cup squad.
But a former Nigerian international, Segun Odegbami told THISDAY during the week that Iheanacho’s problem is not as a result of lack of quality but because he is playing under a coach whose preference is Okazaki.
“Iheanacho is not a bad player. He is not playing as a result of Leicester coach having preference for another player playing his role. Okazaki is the one that is keeping Iheanacho on the bench,†quipped the ex international.
He however insisted that because the former FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner remains one of Nigeria’s best available players at the moment, it will be proper for him to exploit the January transfer window to move to a club where he will be getting regular first team shirt.
“The World Cup in Russia is barely six months away. Iheanacho needs to move to a club where he can be getting regulation action to keep him in shape for the World Cup,†observed the ex international.
He believes that despite his stagnation at Leicester, Iheanacho’s style of play will make him a hit with the Super Eagles at Russia 2018.
Although none of the big clubs in England has signified intent of signing the former Manchester City player in the January window, sources close to Iheanacho revealed he’s eager to end over 365 days of futile attempts in front of goal in the Premier League.
If Iheanacho is selected Leicester trip to Liverrpool, he will be eager to end his goal drought
at Anfield on Saturday.
He is yet to find the back of the net in the premier league in 2017 and Saturday’s game at Anfield presents him with the final opportunity to banish an unwanted record for a player who over a year ago was touted as one of the most lethal strikers in the English top flight.
The Nigerian last scored in the Premier League over a year ago, precisely on Monday 26th of December, 2016 at the KC Stadium where he scored the second goal in Manchester City’s 3-0 annihilation of Hull City.
Since then Iheanacho has made three starts and 13 substitute appearances in 16 league games for both Manchester City and his new club, Leicester City and failed to score in any of the games.
This season he has featured in nine league games, starting only two. He has not played in Leicester’s last eight Premier League games.
