Sevilla sporting director, Víctor Orta, has admitted that signing Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho was a misstep.
The last couple of years have been challenging for Iheanacho. After a lackluster stint at Leicester City, despite the club’s successful Championship title run, he found game time hard to come by.
Most of his 23 appearances came from the bench, and his contract eventually expired at the end of the season.
In a bid to revive his career, Iheanacho made a summer switch to Sevilla. However, that move has not paid off.
While he managed to score three goals in the Copa Del Rey, against lower-tier opposition, he failed to replicate any real impact in La Liga, finding the net just once in 11 matches, with most of his appearances again coming off the bench.
Due to his underwhelming performances in Spain, Iheanacho was shipped out to English Championship side Middlesbrough.
The Nigerian striker initially endured a slow start, going goalless in his first seven games. But he has recently found some rhythm, netting his first goal in a 2-1 victory over Oxford United, and then contributing two assists in a clash with Blackburn.
Sevilla recently parted ways with Garcia Pimienta and appointed Joaquin Caparros as the new head coach.
During Caparros’ unveiling, Orta took time to reflect on the club’s striker situation, including Iheanacho and fellow forward Akor Adams.
“I want to clarify that the first two strikers were brought in as complements, to be practically the third striker, because there was a starter like Youssef and a striker who later appeared, like Isaac,” Orta stated.
“But it’s clear that betting on Kelechi this season has been a mistake, and we will analyze why we made it—and we are doing so now.”
With Orta’s remarks, it’s evident that Iheanacho’s chapter at Sevilla is likely closed. Now more than ever, the Nigerian forward must deliver strong performances for Middlesbrough if he hopes to attract attention from other clubs or even earn a permanent deal.
If he can finish the season in form, he might still have a shot at reigniting his career. But if his struggles continue, his professional trajectory could decline rapidly.
