da pinup bet： When Kelechi Iheanacho broke into double figures for the season on Saturday, you can only assume there was a slightly wry smile on the face of Wilfried Bony, who was sat on the bench yet again.
da 888casino： It’s the battle of Africa – and it’s the teenager that is leaps and bounds ahead, despite the weighty transfer fee paid for Bony back in 2015. His brace against Stoke City last weekend firmly cemented his place as ‘second choice’ striker at the Etihad, but you can’t help but feel sorry for him. Had he been at any other Premier League club this year he’d probably be in the starting XI week after week, but with Sergio Aguero always seemingly in-form, Iheanacho has had to bide his time.
Yet when he has been given his opportunity, he’s grasped it with both hands. When he scored his first competitive goal for the Citizens back in September, guess who he replaced? Yep – Bony. And when he did come on with 89 minutes on the clock, he skipped into the box and slammed the ball home to give City a huge away win.
He’s got raw, raw talent and similarly to the likes of Dele Alli and Alex Iwobi, he’s seriously impressed when he’s been thrown into the mixer. When he performed so strongly in Manchester City’s 2014 pre-season tour many knew that this young Nigerian was special. Even though he wasn’t formally a City player back then, he scored in victories against both Kansas City and AC Milan, and only then did Manuel Pellegrini actively make steps to sign him up.
You have to wonder whether City’s decision to not offer Stefan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko new deals after Iheanacho burst onto the scene was something to do with the youngster’s potential. City paid mega money for the two underwhelming strikers and when you have talent in abundance closer to home, why wouldn’t you get rid?
City had been tracking the young Nigerian before he blew crowds away at the Under-17 World Cup back in 2013. He shone for the young Super Eagles side and won the Golden Ball award for player of the tournament. He scored six times, but it was his creative edge that won him plaudits, too. Operating from a slightly deeper roll than he does now, Icheanacho picked up seven assists in the tournament as well and there is little doubt that it is this that attracted such attention.
And it was Manchester City who won the race for his signature, beating Porto and other European heavyweights to secure the services of one of Africa’s brightest gems.
Iheanacho has the world at his feet and he looks so promising. This week he denounced he wanted to play against, and beat, Real Madrid in the Champions League when City meet them. He has a fantastic level of confidence and maturity, despite his young years and will go on to be a star, wherever that may be.
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