Sevilla sporting director, Víctor Orta, has admitted that signing Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho was a mistake, acknowledging the move didn’t work out as expected.
After his contract with Leicester City expired at the end of last season, Iheanacho made the switch to Sevilla in the summer, arriving with high hopes of reigniting his career. But the transfer has failed to live up to expectations.
Though he netted three goals in the Copa del Rey against lower-league opposition Iheanacho failed to replicate that form in La Liga. He made nine league appearances, mostly off the bench, without scoring a single goal.
With opportunities limited and performances falling short, Sevilla sent him on loan to English Championship side Middlesbrough in January in hopes of a revival.
Speaking during the unveiling of new head coach Joaquín Caparrós who replaced the sacked Garcia Pimienta Orta openly expressed regret over the signing.
“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 explained.
“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.”
Since moving to Middlesbrough, Iheanacho initially struggled to find form but has shown glimpses of recovery.
The 28-year-old has recorded one goal and two assists in 11 Championship appearances, including a solid outing against Blackburn Rovers.
Despite those flashes of promise, his future remains uncertain. At the moment, he doesn’t appear to be in Sevilla’s plans, and a permanent move to Middlesbrough or elsewhere seems more likely than a return to La Liga.
With Sevilla languishing in 14th place in La Liga and changes underway, Iheanacho’s stint in Spain looks set to end as a short-lived chapter.
