Kelechi Iheanacho (Photo credit: Imago)
Kelechi Iheanacho joined Sevilla last summer, but the transfer has turned out to be a disaster
Super Eagles attacker Kelechi Iheanacho is set to leave Sevilla for Mexican club Pumas UNAM this summer, Soccernet.ng reports.
The last two years have been tough for Iheanacho at club level. He had a tough final season at Leicester City, where he was frozen out of the team even though the club was playing Championship football at the time.
Then, last summer, he moved to Sevilla at the expiration of his contract. Unfortunately for him, he did not cut it there and had to move to Middlesbrough on loan.
Still, Iheanacho did not deliver. He featured in 15 games and managed one goal and one assist. Hence, the club let him leave at the end of the season.
Iheanacho returned to Sevilla for pre-season earlier this week, but his future has been on the front burner, especially as the club’s former sporting director Victor Orta openly said that signing the Super Eagles star was a mistake.
Sevilla have a new coach Matias Almeyda, but it appears that Iheanacho will not be given an opportunity to prove himself.
In a new development, per The Express, Iheanacho is very close to exiting Sevilla. This is as they are close to reaching an agreement with Pumas UNAM.
The club is one of the historic clubs in Mexico, as they have won three Concacaf Champions League titles. But they have not won a trophy in 14 years.
Pumas UNAM finished 10th in the Mexican Liga MX last season, and they currently sit bottom of the league, after losing their first game of the season.
Should Kelechi Iheanacho move to Pumas UNAM?
Kelechi Iheanacho is at a critical point in his career. He turns 29 in October. And generally, players in his age range are at the peak of their powers. But that is not so in his case.
It is clear that he will not get much game time in Sevilla. And no other top European club has expressed interest in signing him. As such, moving to Pumas UNAM might not be a bad decision for Iheanacho.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be played in December this year, and if he does not get regular game time, it is unlikely that he will be selected due to the number of talented strikers available to coach Eric Chelle.
Pumas UNAM is definitely a step down for Iheanacho, but he has to make the best of it.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a writer with many years of experience covering sports events in Nigeria and abroad. He is fueled by his love for the job, and is dedicated to delivering captivating stories.