Kelechi Iheanacho

[foxes_rule1978]

7 minutes ago, gurru991 said:

I believe if a team were to offer crazy money then Leicester would listen for sure. Having said that I don't think too many clubs will have a big bag of money to work with in the transfer market this Summer.

 

7 minutes ago, Alex_LCFC said:

One of the hardest questions in football right now I think 

It is a fair question, but when your best striker is 34 and no one else is stepping up, other than nacho, can you sell your top young talent? the guy that looks to have everything that is needed to make it... I don’t think you can. Him and Barnes look the future to me, and no amount of money will mean we could get better 

Edited 27 April 2021 by foxes_rule1978

[Okeyanthony]

There are rumors about Chelsea and Kelechi. Would you take Tammy Abraham in a swap deal and 20 million in cash? That is said to be an offer they are contemplating. 
I wouldn’t at that price, but Tammy and 40 million I’d take. Both have high ceilings though I think Kels is a better all round player.

[gerblod]

Kelechi Iheanacho - the bloke we wanted to turn the corner so badly, has turned the KP into our Field of Dreams, and become the stuff of nightmares for Prem defenders everywhere.

 

[deanolegend1989]

3 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

It will definitely be tried. It has in fact been tried before, but didn't quite work.

 

I can see us trying some sort of lop sided formation where we play one full back plays high, possibly without a true winger on that side, and on the other a defensive full back with attacking winger. So perhaps on the left Thomas / JJ sits with Barnes attacking, then on the other side Castagne / Ricardo raiding with Kelechi as the inside right forward that predominantly plays centrally but sometimes drifts wide. Rodgers did that at Celtic for a bit with Tierney so it was on the other side of the pitch.

 

Rodgers will find a way I am sure, he has a knack of finding a way to make it work and isn't afraid to try systems that don't work. We tried Perez as a false 9 for a few games (Stoke in the FA Cup, Everton at home) and it didn't work, but that led to this new system that has totally unlocked Ihenacho. Even Perez looks much better in this system, how he didn't score at the end I do not know!

I’d like to see what we did today but with Barnes in the hole.

Imagine:

Youri Wilf

  Barnes

Nacho Vardy

[MPH]

1 hour ago, Okeyanthony said:

There are rumors about Chelsea and Kelechi. Would you take Tammy Abraham in a swap deal and 20 million in cash? That is said to be an offer they are contemplating. 
I wouldn’t at that price, but Tammy and 40 million I’d take. Both have high ceilings though I think Kels is a better all round player.

 

Tammys price alone is 40 million right now. You’re not really valuing Kelechi at £60m are you?

 

 

 

way too soon for that...

[volpeazzurro]

2 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

As I was leaving the ground tonight, stopped for a chat with another media guy.

Mentioned Iheanacho and he said: "Now's the time to cash in."

Hadn't crossed my mind.

What if we get a silly £££ bid for him for this summer ... do we take it or not?

It's an interesting one isn't it but, who would you invest the return on, even if you'd got 50m? Players like Edouard sound ok in theory but are potentially quite risky. What we do now know is that given the service, combined with a bit of confidence and commitment to play him, we have a bona-fide goal threat and he's still so young and learning with seemingly such a decent unpretentious attitude to go with it. I think that Vardy has another season in him and Barnes also has the potential to partner him. I personally think he's now a player to keep and add to and not sell.

Edited 27 April 2021 by volpeazzurro

[Guest SO1]

"A bird in hand worth two in the bush" Seems they had some knowledge back in 1670.

[Metal Lover]

Man City still have  a buyback clause in place until 2022 is  what is being reported.   Worried?

[Royston.]

4 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

As I was leaving the ground tonight, stopped for a chat with another media guy.

Mentioned Iheanacho and he said: "Now's the time to cash in."

Hadn't crossed my mind.

What if we get a silly £££ bid for him for this summer ... do we take it or not?

Nacho would be stupid to leave and we'd be dumb to sell.

 

Who would he go to that would be a step up from us and play every week?

 

 

[jayfox26]

Do man City still have the buy back option on him? With Aguero leaving and Jesus being a bit shit, would they look at Iheanacho? 

[jayfox26]

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

4 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

As I was leaving the ground tonight, stopped for a chat with another media guy.

Mentioned Iheanacho and he said: "Now's the time to cash in."

Hadn't crossed my mind.

What if we get a silly £££ bid for him for this summer ... do we take it or not?

Thing is, it's clear that now the confidence is there allowing his ability to shine through, he's a very good footballer too working hard and doing much more than just scoring. So keep. 

 

[Gubbins]

 

2 hours ago, Metal Lover said:

Man City still have  a buyback clause in place until 2022 is  what is being reported.   Worried?

I might be hallucinating but didnt he sign a new deal a few weeks back? Surely that rules out a sale and ends man citys buyback clause?

[st albans fox]

3 minutes ago, Gubbins said:

 

I might be hallucinating but didnt he sign a new deal a few weeks back? Surely that rules out a sale and ends man citys buyback clause?

would be an odd buyback clause that expired on a new contract ......we could have given him a new deal after six months!  More relevant is that the player would have to want to return and the buyback could be only if we decided to sell ....

 

We play again before may ...... kel could be potm again ! 

[Andrew]

Looked for some detail about this buy back clause online but cant find anything. I am unsure as to whether the new contract would superseed this or it was a permanent thing during his time with us. Need clarification

Edited 27 April 2021 by Andrew

[Mythyaar]

Compare his performance last night to the Palace away game earlier this season. The contrast is night and day. It's not just his finishing, it's his touch and all round awareness.

 

I'm trying to think of an established player in a foxes shirt who has shown more improvement than Kelechi has this season. I really can't.

[moore_94]

3 minutes ago, Andrew said:

Looked for some detail about this buy back clause online but cant find anything. I am unsure as to whether the new contract would superseed this or it was a permanent thing during his time with us. Need clarification

Percy believes it has expired

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/04/02/turbo-charged-teen-senior-man-kelechi-iheanacho-realised-potential/

 

“Though Pep Guardiola had high hopes for him, the offer from Leicester in August 2017 was too good to turn down.

 

Manchester City insisted on a £50 million buy-back option, which has now expired, due to their trust in his potential.”

[foxfanazer]

I think he has a certain level of unpredictability about him which must make him a nightmare to play against. I'm not sure he fully knows what's he's gonna do sometimes so the defenders have no chance. Add to that the fact they have to constantly monitor Vardy's runs and you can see why this is such a fruitful partnership 

[foxfanazer]

1 minute ago, Mythyaar said:

Compare his performance last night to the Palace away game earlier this season. The contrast is night and day. It's not just his finishing, it's his touch and all round awareness.

 

I'm trying to think of an established player in a foxes shirt who has shown more improvement than Kelechi has this season. I really can't.

Barnes and JJ have levelled up but yeah he's completely changed his game around 

[FoxFromCoalville]

Mercury also wrote it has now expired

 

 

 

[StriderHiryu]

6 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

As I was leaving the ground tonight, stopped for a chat with another media guy.

Mentioned Iheanacho and he said: "Now's the time to cash in."

Hadn't crossed my mind.

What if we get a silly £££ bid for him for this summer ... do we take it or not?

Shocking to even ask this question, that guy should be ashamed of himself!

 

Iheanancho is the most in form player in the division. He’s playing at a 15/16 Vardy / Mahrez / Kante level, top class performances every week and consistent now for two months. He’s still just 24 and still has his peak to come. Sure it’s taken him years to hit this level, but now we know why, he needed a run of games, to play in a pair and to have a number 10 behind him.
 

The guy is one of us now, if we win the FA Cup he will be one of the main reasons why. Plus keeping him here gives us a great chance to keep both him and Ndidi here for many years because they are such close friends. With that guy’s logic we should have sold Vardy after his purple patch .

[willie-bell-in-rothley]

34 minutes ago, Mythyaar said:

Compare his performance last night to the Palace away game earlier this season. The contrast is night and day. It's not just his finishing, it's his touch and all round awareness.

 

I'm trying to think of an established player in a foxes shirt who has shown more improvement than Kelechi has this season. I really can't.

Vardy, when he first came into the side he was poor, took time to turn his game round.

Edited 27 April 2021 by willie-bell-in-rothley
added

[Chocolate Teapot]

6 hours ago, foxes_rule1978 said:

😂that is a joke right... he is still young and coming to his peak

Pretty sure it's a contender for DHOTYA.

[Buce]

Kelechi Iheanacho: How has Leicester City striker become so prolific?

Kelechi Iheanacho had to wait until 3 February for his first league goal of the season. Since then the Leicester City striker is the Premier League's top goalscorer.

The Nigerian assisted the equaliser and scored the winner as the Foxes beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to gain a seven-point cushion in the race for a Champions League place.

A far cry from a striker who had to wait 14 months for a Premier League goal from September 2018 to December 2019.

He is the Foxes' top scorer this season with 17 goals, the first time since 2014-15 that Jamie Vardy has been in danger of not leading the way.

"That [race to be top scorer] not what we talk about," Iheanacho told BBC Sport. "As a team we work for each other, it doesn't matter who scores the goals.

"There's so much to improve in games so I'll keep going, keep doing my best."

Boss Brendan Rodgers said: "Over the last few months Kelechi has been absolutely incredible. It wasn't just his goal but his work-rate, he wants to press the game. He has no ego whatsoever and he works so hard."

What's changed?

The turning point in Iheanacho's Leicester City career has been starting alongside Vardy up front.

They only started eight games together last season and did not do so this campaign until 28 February - and even then it was only because of injuries to James Maddison and others. They have played every game together since.

Nigeria's Iheanacho has scored 14 goals in his last 14 appearances, as many as he managed in his previous 76 for Leicester.

Only Harry Kane (18) has been involved in more goals than Iheanacho (15) among Premier League players in all competitions this year.

Former England international Karen Carney was watching the game for BBC Radio 5 Live and said: "I think Iheanacho's confidence has come because he knows when he plays he's not going to get substituted for Jamie Vardy.

"As a player you're always looking over your shoulder thinking you are going to get taken off.

"But because he's playing next to Jamie Vardy he's confident and that one goal turns into two and three."

Rodgers said: "The top priority for me as a coach is helping players to develop. It's been difficult for Kels because of the style we normally played which was one striker - Jamie Vardy.

"We had to change it round with injuries, he's come in and been exceptional. Not just his goals, he's so happy to work hard for the team and his quality is phenomenal."

 

Practiced finisher

Iheanacho's PL record since joining Leicester
	Goals	Shot conversion rate	Touches in opposition box	Expected goals
2017-18	3	10.3%	36	4.2
2018-19	1	5.6%	39	2.1
2019-20	5	13.9%	76	6
2020-21	10	23.3%	69	6.6

 

Iheanacho has shown a potency in front of goal recently rarely seen in his career.

His 10 Premier League goals this term outstrips his expected goals - the number of goals he would be expected to score from the chances he receives - by more than three goals, and his shot conversion rate is his highest since joining the Foxes.

Carney said: "I was speaking to Emile Heskey about him and apparently he does these things in training, he's done it for a very, very long time. But he never really had the confidence when he was given the opportunity in games. That's changed.

"That's shifted, he's now delivering in the games. That type of goal, in the pressure moments when he needs to deliver for his team, he's pulled it out of the bag and they've got three points from it."

Foxes keeper Kasper Schmeichel told Sky Sports: "Kele is incredibly intelligent when it comes to his finishing - he knows how to shift and shoot so quickly, he's so good at the particular one where he shifts it and then puts it through the defender's legs and wrongfoots the goalkeeper.

"He does it in training all the time. He's a nightmare in training to be fair. He's just a big strong lad who can put himself about, he's fast, he's got absolutely everything to be a top striker and he's showing it now, which is great."

Edited 27 April 2021 by Buce

[Sharpe's Fox]

His smile lights up my dreams.