Leicester City: Enzo Maresca’s “prolific” £80k-p/w star wanted by huge club
The Foxes are set to face a battle to hold onto one of their most prized assets in January.
Leicester City could be set to lose one of their first-team stars in January, with a fresh report revealing that he is wanted by a huge club overseas.
Leicester City transfer news
Over the summer, Enzo Maresca’s side sanctioned the sales of nine players on a permanent basis, whilst a further three were sent on loan for the remainder of the season in search of more regular game time, and here is how the club’s outgoings panned out:
| Permanent departures | Loan exits |
|---|---|
| James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur) | Victor Kristiansen (Bologna) |
| Harvey Barnes (Newcastle United) | Boubakary Soumare (Sevilla) |
| Timothy Castagne (Fulham) | Luke Thomas (Sheffield United) |
| George Hirst (Ipswich Town) | |
| Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa) | |
| Caglar Soyuncu (Atletico Madrid) | |
| Daniel Amartey (Besiktas) | |
| Ayoze Perez (Real Betis) | |
| Jonny Evans (Manchester United) |
The King Power Stadium outfit, however, might still be forced to cash in on even more next year, one in particular being Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has reportedly previously attracted significant interest from Liverpool in the Premier League.
The Foxes have now additionally received more attention regarding a favourite in the Midlands in the form of Kelechi Iheanacho, who is facing an uncertain future with his deal being set to expire at the end of the current term in the Championship (Leicester contracts).
The Nigerian striker was linked with a move to Crystal Palace, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Everton before the deadline in September, and whilst a switch failed to come to fruition at the time, the 27-year-old is believed to have gained an admirer from overseas.
Kelechi Iheanacho transfer update
According to FC Inter News, sharing a transfer update on Kelechi Iheanacho, Leicester are set to face a battle to hold onto their centre-forward who is wanted by Inter Milan, but it’s stated that they are yet to make a decision on whether to pursue a deal.
“Among the players proposed is also Kelechi Iheanacho, a 27-year-old Leicester striker who will also expire in 2024. For the moment in Viale della Liberazione it’s availability is recorded, but before arriving at a verdict it will be necessary to make several evaluations on the characteristics of the Nigerian.”
How many goals has Iheanacho scored?
Since the start of his career, Iheanacho has racked up an impressive 133 contributions, 86 goals and 47 assists, in 292 appearances, which shows how “prolific” he is in the final third, as hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig (Transfermarkt – Iheanacho statistics).
Sponsored by Nike, Maresca’s left-footed ace also ranks in the 99th percentile for pass completion so he has strong link-up play with his fellow teammates in and around the opposition’s penalty area (FBRef – Iheanacho statistics), and he can do more than just lead the line.
The Foxes’ £80k-per-week earner (Leicester salaries), has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline, including out wide on the left and right wings alongside as a second striker, so retaining his services is vital and he definitely deserves to be offered a new deal.
