Further details emerge in Aston Villa’s transfer pursuit of Leicester City player | OneFootball

Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho has rejected fresh attempts from the Championship winners to keep him, meaning he is set to leave on a free transfer this summer amid interest from Aston Villa.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s Leicester City career

The 27-year-old joined the Foxes from Manchester City in the summer of 2017, and he has gone on to make over 230 appearances for the club, scoring 61 goals in that period.

There have been many highs and lows in that period, with the Nigerian international part of the team that memorably won the FA Cup, but he was also involved as they were relegated 12 months ago.

However, Iheanacho stuck around the King Power Stadium, and he has featured in 23 games, scoring five times, for Enzo Maresca’s side as they won the Championship title.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s contract situation

But, with his deal with Leicester expiring in the summer, there have been major doubts about Iheanacho’s future for some time.

Initially, the club would’ve been waiting to see what division they would be playing in, as the Foxes’ financial concerns are well-documented, so it’s unlikely they would’ve been in a position to keep the left-footer had they remained in the second tier.

But, promotion to the Premier League is obviously a major boost to the club, and it seemed they had moved to try and keep Iheanacho.

Yet, Football Insider has confirmed that the player has turned down any new offer from Leicester, as he waits to become a free agent to decide his next move.

“Aston Villa have been given encouragement in their bid to sign Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho. ‘

“Iheanacho has rejected a fresh attempt by the Foxes to extend his current deal, which is set to expire in June this year. The Nigerian international is now set to leave Leicester on a free after helping them claim the Championship title this season. There is lots of interest from various Premier League clubs and top sides across Europe in signing the 27-year-old this summer.”

Kelechi Iheanacho’s next move

As a free agent, Iheanacho is in a position where he has total control over his future, so it makes sense that he wants to wait and weigh up his options.

Given no fee will be involved to bring him in, he’s sure to be an attractive option to clubs out there, particularly in this financial climate.

As outlined above, Villa are already believed to have expressed their interest in the forward, and the prospect of linking up with Unai Emery’s side is going to be one that surely excites Iheanacho, as it’s highly likely that they will be playing in the Champions League next season.

But, there are many factors to weigh up over the next few weeks for the player, as it’s a massive decision for him at a critical stage of his career.

From Leicester’s perspective, it will be a shame to lose Iheanacho on a free, but he has given a lot over the years, including contributing to the promotion this season, even if he didn’t get as much game time as he would’ve wanted on the whole.