Turkish club Besiktas and English side Everton have emerged as contenders in the race to sign Kelechi Iheanacho, Leicester City’s standout player of the season. Leicester City suffered relegation to the English Championship last season, prompting interest from other clubs in acquiring Iheanacho’s services.
Reports suggest that Besiktas has already made a bid for the Nigerian striker, while Everton is considering a move for him. Nottingham Forest was the first club to express interest in signing Iheanacho, who would join fellow Nigerians Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis at the club.
Iheanacho’s contract with Leicester City is set to expire in 2025, and it is believed that the club is open to selling him. The striker scored five goals in a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to save Leicester City from relegation.
According to soccernet.ng, Besiktas has proposed a one-year loan agreement, covering Iheanacho’s annual salary of two million euros. The club’s search for a new striker has intensified due to Cenk Tosun’s injury, further increasing Iheanacho’s appeal to the Turkish club.
Given Leicester City’s relegation, the 26-year-old forward is leaning towards leaving the club, and Besiktas’s offer has brought him closer to a potential move. Iheanacho holds the record for the highest number of goals scored by a Nigerian player in the English FA Cup, with 18 goals to his name.
Meanwhile, Everton’s interest in Iheanacho, as reported by princerupertstower.com via Tribal Football, stems from their desire to avoid the perennial struggle for survival in the Premier League. The financially constrained club is exploring relatively affordable attacking options to strengthen their squad.