Kelechi Iheanacho names former Leicester City teammate as biggest inspiration after Middlesbrough move.

Kelechi Iheanacho never forgets his roots, naming one of his old Leicester City colleagues as his greatest motivation.

 

Following a poor start at Sevilla, Iheanacho signed on loan with Middlesbrough in the January transfer window. During his time at Sevilla, his manager defended Iheanacho after rumours said he was overweight, but with game time limited, the Championship team came knocking and brought him back to England. He is regarded as a replacement for former Leicester target Emmanuel Latte Lath, who has moved for Atlanta in the MLS. The forward is still fondly remembered at the King Power Stadium, particularly for his participation in the historic 2021 FA Cup run, and the club has had a long-term impact on him, with one of his teammates playing a significant role in his career.

Kelechi Iheanacho names Jamie Vardy as inspiration

To get to know him better, Iheanacho answered a series of quickfire questions for Middlesbrough’s social media team. When asked who his biggest professional influences were, the 28-year-old named Jamie Vardy as one of the football figures that influenced him the most. He stated, “What has had the most impact on my career? There are quite a few. Many people have assisted me throughout my career, including managers like [Manuel] Pellegrini, Brendan Rodgers, and Pep Guardiola. Players include Clichy, Kompany, Yaya Toure, and, of course, Jamie Vardy. Former manager Brendan Rodgers was also mentioned as a source of inspiration. Under Rodgers, Iheanacho won the FA Cup and scored the winning goal in the Community Shield final.

Kelechi Iheanacho wanted to replace Jamie Vardy at Leicester City

Iheanacho left Leicester with a smile in 2024, but it did appear that he would succeed Vardy. In the final parts of the 2020/21 season, the forward had scored five goals in three games, while Vardy had only one in his previous 14. It sparked discussions of the Leicester legend’s long-term replacement by the Nigerian, and while it never came to fruition, the Nigeria international had ambitions of becoming the Foxes’ first choice striker. “If the chance comes for me to replace him [Vardy] one day, I will take the chance but for now I think he’s playing now and he’s doing well,” he confided to Sky.

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