Why Leicester City Is The Perfect Destination For Kelechi Iheanacho
All of 20 years old, Nigerian Kelechi Iheanacho is the perfect example of how youth talent can be wasted if not utilised properly. Off to a blazing start in his Manchester City career during the 15/16 season, scoring 14 goals along with 5 assists in his debut senior season at the Etihad, Iheanacho soon drew the spotlight of the world. Comparisons soon began to Marcus Rashford at cross-town rivals Manchester United, who is just a year younger, and with just as much talent and potential oozing out because of regular playing time at United, albeit due to injury issues in the squad.
Hopes were high for Kelechi as the new 16/17 season drew closer, with new manager Pep Guardiola at the helm, and he made the extra push when he turned down the chance to participate at the Olympic Games in order to focus on impressing Pep and secure his precarious place in the City first team.
That decision proved to be a good one, as it not only allowed him to meet the boss ahead of the new season but also to receive the reassurances he needed.
The 16/17 season began with great splendour for Iheanacho, with 3 goals in 7 appearances, as he scored the winner and assisted one at the Old Trafford in the Manchester Derby. But that was the highlight of Iheanacho’s season, as Guardiola gradually phased the Nigerian out of the squad. Now set with a hefty price tag, Iheanacho is looking to move to greener pastures with a number of Premier League outfits tabling offers.
With the likes of West Ham United and Leicester City being the front runners for the Nigerian international, Iheanacho is at crossroads in his very young career.
West Ham United had a disappointing 16/17 season, with absolutely no help from the strikers leading the line, despite Slaven Bilic recruiting Simeone Zaza, Gokhan Tore, and Sofian Feghouli among many others in a vast transfer spree last season. None of them really rose to the occasion, and Bilic is again on the look for players to lead his team, with Olivier Giroud being the biggest name thrown in the midst.
The Frenchman has managed to net goals in double digits almost every season in North London – something West Ham forwards have not been able to do so consistently. But any team that is ready to spend big money on a 20-year-old, will surely demand some fruit for the seed they’d plant. The Hammers have lacked no creativity in the midfield, but it would be down to Slaven Bilic to make the best use of yet another striker when many in the recent past have failed.
Leicester City, on the other hand, who shined in their debut season in the Champions League last season, had an extremely disappointing first half with Claudio Ranieri, which led to an eventual sacking of the man who created the best underdog story any sport has seen in recent times. Caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare managed to take the outsiders to the quarter-finals of the UCL, and a 12th place finish, much to the fans’ relief.
The 6ft1in forward is quick, industrious and likes to play on the shoulder of the last defender and break in behind them to get on to the through balls, in a similar style to Vardy. Leicester City also have two of Iheanacho’s international team-mates in their ranks; Ahmed Musa and Wilfred Ndidi, and that could also be an incentive.
Leicester may be the ideal move for the 20-year-old, with regular playing time up for grabs and the tutelage of Jamie Vardy could help the Nigerian take the Premier League by storm.