• Latest
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Belgian Star Takes Over Iheanacho’s Jersey At Leicester

Iheanacho Should Leave Leicester Now If He Wants To Salvage What is Left Of His Career

2 years ago
Okoye Embarrassed On His First League Start For Sparta Rotterdam

Nigerians Abroad: Mixed Fortunes For Osigwe, Okoye As Simy Scores Again

14 mins ago
“Greatest Nigerian Side Till Date” – Fans Relive Memories Of Afcon Winning Super Eagles Team

“Greatest Nigerian Side Till Date” – Fans Relive Memories Of Afcon Winning Super Eagles Team

20 mins ago
How Odion Ighalo Reacted To Opening Goal Account In Saudi Arabia

Ex-Man United Ace Ighalo Celebrates On Al Shabab Injury Return, Goalkeeper Osigwe Stars Again

13 hours ago
Chelsea’s On-Loan Super Eagles Hopeful Scores Twice In Belgium

Chelsea’s On-Loan Super Eagles Hopeful Scores Twice In Belgium

14 hours ago
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, April 11, 2021
  • Login
  • Register
Soccernet.ng
  • Home
    Okoye Embarrassed On His First League Start For Sparta Rotterdam

    Nigerians Abroad: Mixed Fortunes For Osigwe, Okoye As Simy Scores Again

    “Greatest Nigerian Side Till Date” – Fans Relive Memories Of Afcon Winning Super Eagles Team

    “Greatest Nigerian Side Till Date” – Fans Relive Memories Of Afcon Winning Super Eagles Team

    How Odion Ighalo Reacted To Opening Goal Account In Saudi Arabia

    Ex-Man United Ace Ighalo Celebrates On Al Shabab Injury Return, Goalkeeper Osigwe Stars Again

    Chelsea’s On-Loan Super Eagles Hopeful Scores Twice In Belgium

    Chelsea’s On-Loan Super Eagles Hopeful Scores Twice In Belgium

    Simy Nwankwo Reveals The Secret Behind His Form Post COVID-19 Break

    Simy Just One Goal Away From Matching Aiyegbeni’s Record

    Unstoppable Simy Nwankwo Punishes Spezia, But Crotone Continue Awful Record

    Unstoppable Simy Nwankwo Punishes Spezia, But Crotone Continue Awful Record

    Ligue 1: Nigerian Striker Terem Moffi Shines In Lorient’s Humbling By Monaco

    On-loan Chelsea Midfielder Opens Up On Relationship With Terem Moffi

    Contrasting Fortunes For Ola Aina And William Troost Ekong

    Contrasting Fortunes For Ola Aina And William Troost Ekong

    ‘He Is A Role Model For Other Players’- Gerrard On Balogun As He Signs A New Deal

    ‘He Is A Role Model For Other Players’- Gerrard On Balogun As He Signs A New Deal

  • Live Scores
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Serie A
    • Ligue 1
  • App
  • Videos
  • Players Lifestyle
  • Betting
No Result
View All Result
Soccernet.ng
No Result
View All Result
Home EPL

Iheanacho Should Leave Leicester Now If He Wants To Salvage What is Left Of His Career

Joba Ogunwale by Joba Ogunwale
2 years ago
in EPL, Featured, News, Nigeria
1
Belgian Star Takes Over Iheanacho’s Jersey At Leicester
120
SHARES
1.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

He was once touted as the next big thing to come out of the country, but a career that once offered so much promise is about to dwindle into oblivion unless he acts fast- This is the sad situation Kelechi Iheanacho finds himself in.

After impressing at the 2013 U-17 FIFA World Championship, where he won the golden ball award and silver shoe, Iheanacho became the darling of Nigerian football.

His performances at Abu Dhabi that year led many to believe the country’s long wait for a playmaker following the retirement of Austin Jay Jay Okocha may be coming to an end.

And that was why it was not a surprise to see clubs like Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Manchester City justling for his signature. It was the Citizens who eventually won the race for his signature- a move many felt was the wrong one for him, given the array of stars City have at their disposal.

However, it will be a lie if it was said Iheanacho was not given a chance to prove himself at the Etihad. In the 2015/2016 season under Manuel Pellegrini, Iheanacho started seven premier league games as an eighteen-year-old, while he substituted in on 19 occasions.

Although his chances reduced the following season under Pep Guardiola, he still managed 20 appearances that season. While many felt his decline started that season after he was played as a centre forward, Iheanacho got the chance to redeem his career as he was sold to Leicester in 2017 for 25m pounds.

The move to Leicester was supposed to put his career back on track, but that has not been the case. Since the move, his career has gone on a downward trajectory and it is about hit a rock bottom unless he acts fast.

Since he switched to the King Power Stadium, Iheanacho has made 51 appearances, scoring a meagre four goals for the Foxes. While it was said that Iheanacho struggled at City under Pep because he played as a centre forward, he has no excuses for his abysmal form at Leicester.

The Nigerian international has played under three managers at the club and they have all played him behind the striker- a position where his qualities are more effective.

However, the 22-year-old has failed to grasp these opportunities and that contributed to his omission from Super Eagles squad that went to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr once complained about the striker’s attitude to training.  “I think he must be more professional,”  Rohr said in March.

“There’s a new coach at Leicester City (Brendan Rodgers) and it (his omission) will be an opportunity for Iheanacho to show during this international window that he wants to get back into the starting team of Leicester. “Personally, I think it’s a good thing for him to stay back at his club to prove this.

“It’s not good enough to be funny all the time. You must show that you are serious by working hard every day in the training sessions. “And show that you seriously want to come back into the team at the club and also with us.”

Although Rohr changed tune months later, saying he has changed, Iheanacho was still dropped from the squad that went to Egypt.

The omission seems to give him a kick up in the backside as he was brilliant for Leicester in the preseason, he will still need to leave the club if he is to get his career back on track.

In the three premier league games, the Foxes have played this season, Iheanacho has been an unused substitute twice and failed to make the matchday squad last weekend despite the club’s dearth of striking options. His absence last weekend suggests that Rodgers does not trust him, and it won’t be far fetched if one says his time at the club is up.

@67Kelechi, after matchday 3 in the Premier League this season :

Goals: Zero

Assists: Zero

Appearances: Zero

Amount Earned: 153 million Naira pic.twitter.com/nLmY3F6rgT

— SoccernationNG (@soccernation_ng) August 25, 2019

With him not likely to get chances to prove himself at the club, it will be wise of the Imo state born player to leave England this summer in order to kickstart his career once again and move to a club where the spotlight will not be on him.

At the age of just 22, there’s still time for the former Manchester City star to revive his already waning career even before it started.

But with just less than ten days before the transfer window shuts down, Iheanacho will need to act fast if he wants to save what is left of a career that promised so much but has failed to fulfil its potential.

Tags: Kelechi IheanachoLeicester CitySuper Eagles
Share75Tweet19
Wazobet Wazobet Wazobet
Joba Ogunwale

Joba Ogunwale

Oluwajoba Ogunwale has many years of experience as a sports content writer. The most recent of these was at Opera News, after which he took up the role of Editor-in-Chief at Soccernet.

Comments 1

  1. Pingback: Has Iheanacho Done Enough To Earn A Super Eagles Recall?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Chelsea’s On-Loan Super Eagles Hopeful Scores Twice In Belgium

Chelsea’s On-Loan Super Eagles Hopeful Scores Twice In Belgium

April 10, 2021
Contrasting Fortunes For Ola Aina And William Troost Ekong

Contrasting Fortunes For Ola Aina And William Troost Ekong

April 10, 2021
Ligue 1: Nigerian Striker Terem Moffi Shines In Lorient’s Humbling By Monaco

On-loan Chelsea Midfielder Opens Up On Relationship With Terem Moffi

April 10, 2021
Unstoppable Simy Nwankwo Punishes Spezia, But Crotone Continue Awful Record

Unstoppable Simy Nwankwo Punishes Spezia, But Crotone Continue Awful Record

3
Rohr Impressed With Home Based Players But Casts Doubt On Their Availability For Future Games

Rohr Impressed With Home Based Players But Casts Doubt On Their Availability For Future Games

5
Revealed: Why Ekong Signed For Watford

Revealed: Why Ekong Signed For Watford

8
Okoye Embarrassed On His First League Start For Sparta Rotterdam

Nigerians Abroad: Mixed Fortunes For Osigwe, Okoye As Simy Scores Again

April 11, 2021
“Greatest Nigerian Side Till Date” – Fans Relive Memories Of Afcon Winning Super Eagles Team

“Greatest Nigerian Side Till Date” – Fans Relive Memories Of Afcon Winning Super Eagles Team

April 11, 2021
How Odion Ighalo Reacted To Opening Goal Account In Saudi Arabia

Ex-Man United Ace Ighalo Celebrates On Al Shabab Injury Return, Goalkeeper Osigwe Stars Again

April 10, 2021
Soccernet.ng

Copyright © 2020 Soccernet Media Limited.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Live Scores
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Serie A
    • Ligue 1
  • App
  • Videos
  • Players Lifestyle
  • Betting

Copyright © 2020 Soccernet Media Limited.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In