Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho’s performance has been rated as “average” since his big summer move from Manchester City to former English Premier League champions, Leicester City, AOIFootball.com can report.
According to Leicester Mercury, the former Nigerian youth international’s career has not blossomed as expected. Furthermore, Iheanacho is seen as a player whose career at Leicester has been hampered by injury.
His impressive 17-minute cameo in the final pre-season friendly against Borussia Mönchengladbach, where he provided an assist for Jamie Vardy, came to a premature end.
Also, it is believed that a “pesky toe injury slowed his progress, and he has struggled to nail down a place in the starting line-up.”
He has seemed a little lost when asked to perform a Shinji Okazaki tribute act behind Vardy, and has not yet had the chance to shine in his favoured position on the last defender.
Though Iheanacho scored a fine goal in the last Carabao Cup victory against Leeds, it is hoped he will be able to build on that.
How he will fit under Claude Puel, if the new manager wants to play 4-2-3-1 with Riyad Mahrez in a central role, remains to be seen.
But despite his travails and struggles in his club, the 21-year-old has excelled for the Super Eagles recently, scoring a goal and providing two assists in the comeback win against Argentina’s Albiceleste in an international friendly at the Krasnodar Stadium in Russia.
To sum it up, Iheanacho’s stats in 13 games for Nigeria is startling, with the forward boasting of 8 goals and 4 assists for the Super Eagles.
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