Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho is in for a rapid rollercoaster ride for the next 72 hours amid the speculations surrounding his future, Soccernet.ng reports.
Iheanacho has endured a tough start to life at Sevilla since joining them on a free transfer last summer. The Super Eagles star has been limited to just 401 minutes in La Liga this season due to his failure to adjust to Garcia Pimienta’s style.
In recent weeks, there have been talks that Iheanacho will exit the club, as Sevilla are looking to free up their wage bill due to their new signings this month.
The Super Eagles star has been linked with different European sides. PAOK, long-term admirers of the former Manchester City man, and Panathinaikos have also entered the mix.
Meanwhile, Iheanacho has been linked with clubs in England, such as Watford and Leeds United. French club Olympique Marseille have also been linked with the Nigerian striker recently.
The transfer window closes soon. Only a last-minute deal will do for Kelechi Iheanacho
As it stands, Sevilla may only be open to a loan transfer for Iheanacho. Time is a scarce commodity for all the parties involved.
As it stands, a transfer to Greece is unlikely at the moment. This is as the Greek transfer window closes on January 31, and it is unlikely that they will be able to pull off the deal within the remaining hours.
Moreover, Iheanacho would prefer a transfer to a club and a league that will afford him greater visibility. And obviously, Greece cannot give him that.
The English clubs like Watford and Leeds United, who are interested in signing Iheanacho, have the upper hand with the current circumstances. The English transfer market closes on February 3rd, which affords them more time to negotiate with Sevilla.
Marseille also have that advantage, and a move to the French Ligue 1 might even be a more enticing prospect for Iheanacho.
He will get to play top-flight football under a brilliant coach like Roberto De Zerbi. He has a good shot at playing continental football if Marseille have a good league finish and they sign him permanently at the end of the campaign.
On the other hand, England is a familiar territory for Iheanacho. Recall that he started his European journey in the Premier League before joining Leicester City in 2017.
But before making his decision on where to move next, he would definitely prioritise a transfer to a club where he will get regular game time.