Premier League sides Aston Villa and Crystal Palace will battle to sign to Nigerian and Leicester City’s striker Kelechi Iheanacho in January.
Iheanacho joined Leicester from Manchester City for around £25m in 2017. He was offloaded after failing to break into City’s first team despite an impressive 21 goals in 64 matches.
Since Brenda Rodgers took over the Foxes in February, Iheanacho had been a bit-part player and has failed to score this season until two weeks ago he bagged two goals and two assists against Everton and Villa.
In his two-and-a-half seasons at the King Power Stadium, Iheanacho has just scored 14 goals. Also, the striker has largely had to play second fiddle to Ayoze Perez and Premier League top scorer Jamie Vardy who has 16 goals already this season.
According to Telegraph Sport, Leicester are not prepared to sell the striker in January despite interest from rival clubs. It was learned that Rodgers has not seen enough of the Nigerian and wants to keep him around at the club as back-up to Vardy.
Despite subbing him off before half time for poor sportsmanship against Norwich on Saturday, the Foxes coach still rate him high as one of the top clinical finishers in the league. Also, his goals have been crucial as Leicester have mounted an unlikely challenge for the top four.
Now Villa and Palace will look elsewhere for a striker as both clubs have struggled with scoring goals this season Despite Villa spending around £20m on striker Wesley in the summer, the Brazilian has managed just four goals. While Palace have only had six different goalscorers in the Premier League this season.
Leicester currently sit second in the league table. They lead Tottenham who are in the fifth position with 13 points and they look likely to return to the Champions League for only the second time in the club’s history.
