Kelechi Iheanacho: From potential Leicester City star to Foxes misfit
By James Lassey
It is not often a new signing is greeted with so much optimism and is received under the universal perception that he is destined to do great things.
Yet, on August 3, eight days before the Premier League campaign kicked off, former Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare looked to have pulled off one of the deals of the season.
His £25 million swoop for Manchester City prodigy Kelechi Iheanacho was backed by the footballing world and it finally seemed that Leicester had found the man to replace Jamie Vardy.
However, life at the King Power stadium for the Nigeria international has been difficult and chances have been few and far between.
Related Story: Kelechi Iheanacho could be on his way out, admits Claude Puel
It just hasn’t clicked for him. Even with his most recent appearance in the Carabao Cup against his former side Manchester City, he looked bewildered and unrecognisable to the player who scored for City on the last day of last season.
With his only fourth Leicester start ending as quickly as it had begun, his early second-half substitution acted as another reminder to how far Iheanacho has fallen.
What has happened to the player who averaged a goal every 107 minutes at City and scored 12 last campaign under Pep Guardiola.
While it can be argued, Leicester do not possess the same array of talents as City therefore chances may not be as frequent, it is his inability to pose any sort of goal threat which seems so uninspiring.
Yes, he has the work rate and I do not doubt he has the ethic to match but he appears to lack any type of conviction and his bad duck does not look like ending any time soon.
One goal is all he has to show for his four month spell having scored in the 3-1 EFL Cup win over Championship outfit Leeds United.
Despite his poor form, there is plenty of time for him to rekindle the potential that saw him make the move in the first place.
At 21, he can learn from the experience but may have to take a step backwards in order to gain the fluidity and sharpness he once displayed.
The striker is not ready to become a first team regular and may have to revert back to being the super sub that set the Etihad alight the season before.
Four starts in four months, should Kelechi Iheanacho leave Leicester City? #LCFC
— Foxes of Leicester (@FoxesofLCFC) December 22, 2017
His leap of faith looks to have been a stride too far.
With his missed opportunities, he has plummeted down the pecking order but unlike the out-of-favour duo Leonardo Ulloa and Islam Slimani, there could well be room for him yet.
Ulloa and Slimani’s style of play do not fit with the philosophy and ideas laid out by manager Claude Puel but for Iheanacho, should he show some form he could well sway the Frenchman.
Related Story: What’s gone wrong for Leicester City’s Islam Slimani?
Iheanacho has the pace and did once show the ability to convert, so the raw characteristics are definitely there, he just needs to harness and develop them.
Yet as shown last time out against City his forward runs are deprived of any intent, his technique when striking the ball looked tame and unorthodox to say the least and to put the cherry on top of all it, quite frankly the nerves got the better of him.
We forget, the psychological demands that being a football player entices. A young upcoming player can have all the ability in the world but without the right mindset turning the gift into match winning performances becomes very difficult.
Whether Puel will opt to keep the forward beyond the January market is for him to decide but it is hard to think that Iheanacho’s Leicester City career is over, the striker and the Premier League have unfinished business.