Kelechi Iheanacho was effectively benched at Leicester near the end of the season, according to sources close to the striker, and it was not for football reasons. Iheanacho had five goals and one assist in 23 games in the English Championship this season. He started only 22% of Leicester’s matches. In the lead-up to the team’s Championship victory, he was not named for four consecutive games and only played the last 12 minutes of the season. “He did not get along with the Italian manager,” a source close to Iheanacho told SCORENigeria. “The coach was overbearing and wanted ‘Senior Man’ to worship him and he refused.”That’s why he wasn’t playing as much as he should.”
The 27-year-old striker will become a free agent at the end of this month. He has been connected with various clubs in both the Premier League and Turkey.
What can fans expect from Kelechi Iheanacho and Leicester City next season? Leicester City’s Championship title this season was not as surprising to the sports betting odds as their Premier League victory in 2016. In truth, it was nothing more than predicted, and its arrival was somewhat of a relief given the Foxes’ near-complete collapse in form towards the conclusion of the season. However, none of this will be remembered when City face their first Premier League opponent at the KingPower Stadium in August. What shape will Leicester be in by then, and how well are they projected to do next season?
Will Kelechi Iheanacho be crucial to the Foxes’ performances? Or will his top flight promise remain unfulfilled? Continue reading to learn the answers to these and other questions. Managerial movements, point deductions, and impending firesales Before we get started on assessing Leicester City’s Premier League prospects, we need to do some housekeeping. The manager’s future, potential punishment for violating the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), and an expected player fire sale.
Looking first at the manager, current media sources indicate that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is more interested in selecting Enzo Maresca as the successor to the recently fired Mauricio Pochettino. While looking for a new manager just a few months before the start of the Premier League season would definitely be a blow to Leicester, it would also bring in much-needed funds.
Money is desperately required to reverse the club’s troubling record of hemorrhaging losses during the previous five seasons. Losses have put them on the Premier League’s radar for PSR violations, which are expected to result in a point deduction. The number of points deducted has still to be determined, but based on Leicester’s most current reports, their losses surpass those of Everton and Nottingham Forest, which received 10 and 4 points, respectively, therefore it does not seem good for Leicester. Leicester are the Premier League odds’ favorites for relegation following Maresca’s departure and the likely points deduction.
One way the Foxes can lower their point liability is to sell as many players as possible before June 30th, limiting their losses for the most recent campaign while guaranteeing that no new players are brought in. That might entail the departure of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Wout Faes, Wilfried Ndidi, James Justin, and Stephy Mavdidi, to mention a few, all before the season officially begins. With all of this in mind, is it any surprise that Leicester are 1/2 favourites to finish last in the Premier League?
