LEICESTER CITY ended this summer’s longest-running transfer saga when Kelechi Iheanacho finally completed his £25million move from Manchester City.
Foxes boss Craig Shakespeare’s dogged pursuit of the 20-year-old Nigerian strike sensation eventually paid off after his top summer signing target put pen-to-paper on a five-year-deal. Leicester were always confident they were in pole position to land the lethal finisher, who has scored 21 times in 64 appearances for City.
But complex issues over the player’s image rights and a court case involving a former agent caused the move to drag on throughout the summer.
Now Iheanacho says he can’t wait to show what he can do in a Leicester shirt, with a speedy home debut in Friday’s friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach on the cards.
Iheanacho told LCFC TV: “It feels good to be part of this team. I know the ambition here and I know what I need to do to help the team achieve what they want.
“After speaking with the manager I was convinced and happy to be here. It gives me more confidence that I will fit in this team and hopefully I’ll achieve a lot.”
Iheanacho’s goal-scoring credentials are impeccable and he is the supreme penalty box poacher Shakespeare wanted to compliment Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Marc Albrighton. Since the start of the 2015-16 season no player – who has scored at least 10 goals – can better his scoring rate.
On average, Iheanacho has found the net once every 106.5 minutes. That puts him ahead of his former City team-mate Sergio Aguero (108.55 minutes) and two-time golden boot winner Harry Kane (109.24 minutes).
Yet despite scoring a derby winner against Manchester United in September he found his first team opportunities limited under Pep Guardiola – none more so than when Gabriel Jesus arrived at the Etihad Stadium midway through the season. Iheanacho failed to start for City after playing against Burnley on January 2 and will relish the chance to lead the line for the Foxes.
Shakespeare said: “It’s a great signing for us. Kelechi is an enormously talented player that has shown a huge amount of promise at every level in which he’s played.
“We’ve tracked his progress for some time, so we know how much quality he’ll bring to the squad. He’s young, he’s hungry, he’s ready for the next stage of his development and I’m delighted that will be with Leicester City.”
From The Sun
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