Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers insists Kelechi Iheanacho can take the place of injured Jamie Vardy in the team, reports Completesports.com.
Rodgers announced on Friday, Vardy will have surgery on his persistent hip problem and will be out for a few weeks.
The gaffer however expects Iheanacho to deliver the goods for the Foxes in the absence of the experienced striker.
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“We’ve played without Jamie before and scored and won. He’s contributed to the team over these past few weeks even if he hasn’t scored,” Rodgers told a news conference ahead of Sunday’s fourth-round FA Cup tie against Brentford.
“When you don’t have one of the top strikers in the league, it’s always going to be disappointing. It’s not overly concerning. It’s our best chance of getting him back.
” Ayoze Perez is a natural striker. He doesn’t threaten the backline as quickly as Vardy, but he’s a great finisher. I‘ve got Kels who can offer a threat too.”
Iheanacho has featured in 10 league games for the Premier Leaguechampions this season without a goal to his name.
By Adeboye Amosu
3 Comments
Hmmm this is worrisome for Leicester’s ambition of playing in next year’s champions league. I have seen that there are about 4 players in their team who are indispensable right now. They are: schmeichel in goal, evans in defence, ndidi in midfield and vardy in attack. They have other quality players but These four are the backbone of the team. With vardy out, there will be more opportunities given to kelechi to play which means no loan move to Germany. I hope he uses this opportunity to establish himself, I know Rodgers will still tinker with his team and use players like barnes and ayose up front because of their pace which is similar to vardy’s but kelechi will still get more time to show what he can do. I hope it works out for all involved.
Kelechi shd go to Leipzig if it’s true they want him, no time to waste time, he sure will have opportunity under Julian Nalgesmann.
If I can decode what this man(Rodgers) is saying, He didn’t say Ihenacho will even start in absence of Vardy. He made mention of Ayoze Perez first and then remembered “Oh.. I’ve also gat another striker in the team(pardon)” then he said Kelechi. Meaning even in Vardy’s absence, Kelechi is not sure to start. I’m tired of giving fruitless advice to that guy. All the best to him and his career.