NIGERIA’S striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, on Tuesday was dropped from Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League knockout stages list as Brazil’s Gabriel Jesus was named in his stead.
A list of players published on the club’s website on Thursday also saw the omission of British-born Nigerian defender, Tosin Adarabioyo, from the squad.
It had previously been sensed that the January arrival of Gabriel Jesus could spell doom for Iheanacho, but club manager, Pep Guardiola last week insisted he would not release the former Golden Eaglet to any loan deal.
In fact, he mentioned Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus as the future of Manchester City while adding that age was not on the side of team’s top scorer, Sergi Aguero, Jesus Navas and Nolito.
However, Guardiola named the ‘old’ Nolito among his three strikers, the others being Aguero and Jesus.
Meanwhile, Iheanacho might still be called upon during emergencies as he is eligible to be included in the Players B list for those who were born on, or after 1 January 1995; and those who have been playing for their teams uninteruptedly for two years since their 15th birthday.
Iheanacho was born on 3 October 1996 and joined City on 10 January 2014.
It was a reversal of fate for Ivorian Yaya Toure who returns to the Champions League squad.
Yaya Toure replaced injured Ilkay Gundogan, who is still nursing a cruciate knee ligament wound.
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