Leicester City’s Price Tag On Kelechi Iheanacho Is Hindering His Exit This Summer

Championship side Leicester City reportedly want nothing less than £18 million before they will sell Kelechi Iheanacho this summer which could prevent him from leaving before 11 p.m. on September 1, the transfer deadline date.

The 26-year-old Nigerian forward is determined to leave the relegated club this summer but the asking price placed on him is discouraging clubs from pushing on with the deal.

Crystal Palace have been the most interested club in Kelechi Iheanacho so far this summer but their interest is dwindling due to Leicester’s asking price with about a day left for the closure of the transfer market.

According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany, the Eagles are prepared to pay between £10 and £15 million including add-ons for the Nigerian forward, a fee the Championship side are unwilling to accept.

Iheanacho has made three appearances for the Championship team this season but he is yet to score.

He joined the squad in 2017 after leaving Manchester City for £25 million, and in his seven seasons there, he has amassed 56 goals in 210 games across all competitions.

Iheanacho is regarded as crucial to the success of the Foxes’ effort to return to the Premier League next summer.

Leicester are aware that, given that his contract is set to expire in the summer of 2024, they must sell him cheaply this summer or in January to avoid losing him for free next summer.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace would need to raise cash by selling Jean-Philippe Mateta of France before they could spend on Iheanacho or Southampton’s Che Adams, another striker from a relegated team whom they are also interested in.

German Bundesliga sides like RB Leipzig, and Borussia Dortmund have shown interest in Mateta but nothing concrete yet with less than 48 hours to the end of the transfer window.