Aston Villa have been linked with a striker who scored against Unai Emery previously and now he’s available to sign on a free transfer.
Unai Emery and Monchi are mapping out their summer transfer window ahead as Aston Villa aim to assemble a squad for the 2024/25 campaign.
Despite their overhanging PSR concerns, the Villans have still been linked with some big-money moves for players such as Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and Juventus winger Matias Soule.
The Villans can afford to spend big this summer but only if they offload some of their assets, with the £100 million received from Jack Grealish still keeping Villa within the financial threshold.
It promises to be an exciting summer, and it could get even better as a player they’ve targeted previously is now available to sign on a free transfer.
Kelechi Iheanacho released by Leicester City
Aston Villa have previously been linked to Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho.
In the January transfer window, Emery wanted to sign a backup to Ollie Watkins as he didn’t trust Jhon Duran at the time. Iheanacho was a name that was spoken about, but ultimately, it was a deal that didn’t move past speculation.
Fast forward five months and Villa could now sign the 27-year-old on a free transfer, with Leicester releasing from his contract at the King Power stadium.
The 73-cap Nigerian spent seven years with the Foxes after signing from Manchester City for £25 million, and Pep Guardiola has previously dubbed him as “incredible”.
Iheanacho seldom showed that incredible talent in front of goal at Leicester, netting 61 times in 232 appearances while in the Championship last term, he scored just five in 23 matches.
Emery was perhaps linked with a move for the powerful striker as he’s scored against him in the past, netting in a 4-2 win for Leicester in the 2022/23 campaign.
Should Aston Villa take a punt on Kelechi Iheanacho?
Iheanacho’s time at Leicester is best remembered for his heroics in the club’s run to FA Cup glory, and while he was capable of flashes of brilliance, he was infuriatingly inconsistent.
Of course, he wasn’t helped by so often playing second fiddle to Jamie Vardy but if he joined Villa, he would face a similar problem.
The Nigerian hasn’t started a league match for the Foxes since December as injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations saw him usurped by Patson Daka in the pecking order.
Realistically, Iheanacho is a solid option for most teams on a free transfer however, Villa’s transfer policy has stepped up a notch since qualifying for the Champions League, and the 27-year-old doesn’t slot into that category.
Villa want to recruit players that will improve their starting XI now or in the future and on the evidence of Iheanacho’s recent form, he’s no better than Duran, who started to show his talent towards the end of the season.
Iheanacho to Aston Villa is a ship that looks to have sailed and that is for the best as he needs to join a club where he can play regular football, which isn’t a possibility at Villa Park.
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