Leicester City of England in-form attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho is at the centre of controversial talk about a possible return to Manchester City, as English Premier League experts believe he had a better run of fortune during his early days with The Citizens, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although Iheanacho appears heading back to his best, following his eighth goal of the season in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the Carabao League Cup, speculation is rising high that he could still seek an escape route from King Power Stadium at the end of this season.
Such had been the likelihood in the first half of this season, as things got torrid for Iheanacho at both club and country levels, as his lack of game time with The Foxes led to him missing out on Nigeria’s squad to the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, and he was touted for the Leicester exit.
However, as debate heightens over Iheanacho’s prospects in the summer transfer window, Leicester Mercury correspondent, Jordan Blackwell opined that City could still get a reunion with the UAE 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup most valuable player in the next two years, as they will still be able to use a buy-back option to lure the lad to Etihad Stadium after this term’s summer.
City could indeed be inspired by Iheanacho’s return to goals scoring form to seek a way back for the lad they surprisingly sold to Leicester in August 2017 for a fee in the region of £25m, three and half years after signing him from Taye Football Academy of Owerri and first loaned him to Columbus Crew of America to accord him some level of exposure and experience.
In selling Iheanacho, though, The Citizens inserted a clause into the deal, with a view that they would be able to buy him back from King Power Stadium, stipulating that they would have first refusal on the striker should The Foxes decide to sell him before the expiration of his contract.
However, a report by allnigeriasoccer.com quotes Blackwell as stating that Iheanacho’s buy-back clause could still run until 2022, as club’s normally insert a five year span for such deals inserted into transfer agreements with team’s they deem lower in status to their own level.
Blackwell argued: “I’m not totally sure, but these things usually last the course of the first deal he signs. Iheanacho joined on a five-year contract in 2017, leading to 2022. Even if he negotiates an extended deal in that time, I’d expect the buy-back clause to still be applicable until 2022. After that, it may be void.”
These permutations come at a point former Manchester United striker, Danny Webber hailed what he called Iheanacho’s predatory instinct, as the Leicester lad hit target against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday night.
Despite struggling for form last season and at the start of the current campaign, Iheanacho is back to his best; and now has eight goals plus four assists in 12 appearances so far this season, the latest of which some he enact a tremendous finish at Villa Park.
The hosts had gone ahead through an equally brilliant goal by Matt Targett, after lovely play by Jack Grealish in the 12th minute, before Iheanacho’s equalised with 18 minutes left; only for The Villans to snatch victory in stoppage time, as a dramatic goal from Egypt star, Ahmed Trezeguet saw Leicester lose 2-1 on the night, 3-2 on aggregate, and fail to reach the Carabao Cup final.
Despite the loss, Weber singled Iheanacho out for special mention and praise, noting that the once-pilloried lad is showing an aptitude most other attacker’s in England lack, while his striker against Villa saw him continue his remarkable record of scoring in every single Cup game he has featured in this season, giving him a remarkable haul of five goals in five appearances.
In his reaction, Webber said: “Kelechi Iheanacho senses there’s an opportunity at the back post, he comes in. It’s not actually an easy finish. It bubbles up, very, very good finish. It puts Leicester back in the game against the run of play.”
