The cheery news is that a Nigerian is commanding high fees at the current mad football transfer market in Europe. To be precise, Kelechi Iheanacho, a striker for both Manchester City and the Nigerian Super Eagles has undergone his Leicester City medical on Tuesday ahead of a £25million move from Manchester City to the King Power Stadium in England.
The 20-year-old, the media in the UK reports has agreed personal terms with the Foxes before heading to Belvoir Drive to complete the move. We understand the deal would be done in the next 24 hours. According to reports, a deal has been in the pipeline for a number of weeks, but there was a dispute to settle between his old agents and new representatives. And his current side had to agree a £50m buy-back clause with Leicester. That has now been resolved, and a buy-back clause figure has been agreed between the two clubs so the deal can proceed.
Because of some new acquisitions at Manchester City, the Nigerian international would be confined to the bench at the blue side of Manchester should he continue to stay at the club, which supports what football pundits said when he signed the deal that his agent ought to have allowed him sign for Arsenal or Manchester United where young stars are given the chance for regular football. At the time, it does appear that the love for money prevailed over career growth.
Iheanacho joined Manchester City’s academy at the start of 2014, before breaking through to the first team a year later. He scored his first senior goal against Crystal Palace at the start of the 2015-16 season, going on to net 14 times in all competitions. Last season saw him score seven times and Pep Guardiola has agreed to let the 20-year-old move on. Leicester, who also want to add another centre back, are still pondering a second bid for 20-year-old Coventry City striker George Thomas. Iheanacho would be adding to the number of Nigerians in Leicester City, which already had Ndidi and Ahmed Musa.
One interesting aspect of the Kelechi deal is that Manchester City was able to include a £50million buy-back before the let him leave. Well, footballers are like easy virtue women because just months back, Kelechi was playing against Leicester. But then, that is how the football world works.
