Kelechi Iheanacho: Making the Best Out of Championship

With 12 wins in 13 matches and 14 points ahead of third placed Leeds United, Leicester City are steadilly strolling back to the Premier League and one of the driving forces of the team is Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, whose goal last weekend against Swansea City was his fourth straight goal and his fifth in the English Championship

After Leicester was relegated to the English Championship at the end of last season, some of King Power Stadium big boys dumped the club and Iheanacho was expected to join the moving train but his price tag was a constrain to many of his suitors.

English Premier League club, Nottingham Forest were seriously interested in signing Iheanacho this summer, but they failed to sign him because of Leicester City’s asking price.

The Super Eagles striker was linked with Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, and Crystal Palace, but nothing concrete eventually happened.

According to the Athletic, Forest were seriously interested in Iheanacho, but they were unwilling to meet Leicester City’s £20million price tag. Because of this, talks fell through.

Also, Crystal Palace almost succeeded in signing Iheanacho, but the deal broke down midway.

As the transfer window has closed, Iheanacho had no choice but to wait till next summer so he can leave for free.

He has indeed been performing well this season so that he can get a very good deal next time.

The former Manchester City forward broke a personal record for scoring in consecutive league games during Leicester City’s 3-1 win against Swansea City at the weekend.

Iheanacho departing the Super Eagles camp penultimate weekend had nothing to do with his fitness as he was excused from Monday’s international friendly with Mozambique to attend to pressing personal issues.

Indeed, the 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup Golden Ball winner was named in the matchday squad against the Swans and was brought on to replace Jamie Vardy with six minutes of regulation time left.

Three minutes after Iheanacho hopped off the bench, he sealed the Foxes win by scoring a crucial third goal to give the visitors a two-goal advantage.

The Leicester City number 14 sent the ball beyond goalkeeper Carl Rushworth after a defence-splitting pass by Ricardo.

This is the first time in Iheanacho’s professional career that he has managed to score in four consecutive league games, a run that started on October 1 against Blackburn Rovers.

Since his strike against Rovers, he has scored in back-to-back games against Preston North End, Stoke City and Swansea City.

Iheanacho’s previous best was in the 2020-2021 season when he scored in three consecutive Premier League games on two different occasions – March and April 2021. He got on the end of a pass from midfield and made a quick dart forward. He had two defenders on him and almost lost the ball. But he was lucky enough to glide it home and make it 3-1 to the former Premier League champions.

Meanwhile, Iheanacho now has five goals in the Championship this season

Iheanacho has not only been scoring for the Foxes this season, he has also been inspiring others.

When Ghanaian forward, Issahaku Fatawu scored his debut goal for Leicester against Swansea City, he attributed it to the influence of the Super Eagles forward.

Fatawu, on loan from Sporting CP, scored his first goal for Leicester, giving credit to Iheanacho for inspiring him.

After the game, Fatawu spoke about the influence of Iheanacho, who had encouraged him to score goals.

“I can’t even explain how I am feeling right now, but Kelechi always tells me to score, so I scored.” he said.

Kelechi, who was also linked to Everton, Crystal Palace and Inter Milan in the summer said they are mere speculations.

“These discussions are always difficult when you have less time left at the football club, probably a year or two,” he told BBC Radio Leicester’s When You’re Smiling Podcast.

“I know the speculation, the report or ‘you want to stay, you want to leave’, I know that.

“Personally, I love Leicester City, it is a good place, a good football club. I’ve been here for a few years now and we went down, it’s not ideal, but we’re here now, fighting our way up.

Iheanacho also insisted that he loves the club and that his full concentration is on helping the Foxes gain promotion back to the Premier League

“I’m here, concentrating on my football with Leicester City. Hopefully, we can get back up and everyone will be happy, I didn’t get to move, I’m here now playing for Leicester City so we concentrate on that now.

“Hopefully all the players that didn’t get to move as well will all contribute to the team for us to get up there which is the most important thing now. Everyone has to make their choice, but we now concentrate on the team and try to help the team and stay together to get up there.”

Iheanacho joined Leicester City in 2017, and it has been a rollercoaster time for the 26-year-old forward. The Nigeria attacker has been player of the season twice, but there have been times when he has been a peripheral figure at the club.

Leicester City got relegated from the Premier League last season after a poor campaign that saw them finish 18th. Iheanacho was their best player in that campaign, and with just one year left on his contract, there were talks that he could leave the club.