This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Could the writing the on the wall for this Foxes forward?
Leicester could be on the verge of making a move for Club Brugge’s 21-year-old Nigerian forward Emmanuel Dennis, according to reports by French football journalist Manu Lonjon.
Dennis made headlines recently when he scored a brace against Real Madrid in a Champions League game, but in addition to that, he boasts an impressive goal record with 25 goals in 86 appearances (via Transfermarkt) for the Belgian side.
As discussed previously when the news first came through, it’s a move the Foxes need to think about making, because at the moment they are somewhat limited when it comes to their attacking options.
But whilst they are short, bringing in another forward would have a significant impact on Kelechi Iheanacho. In fact, it could possibly spell the end of his time at the King Power Stadium.
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On the chalkboard
As outlined on FFC, Iheanacho is being somewhat stifled at Leicester, not just under the current boss Brendan Rodgers but also during previous regimes.
Bringing the £8.5m-rated Dennis in will mean that his days of possibly taking over as Jamie Vardy’s replacement will take a significant blow as he’ll most likely be the main challenger at that point.
That means he’s got two options if he is to ‘save his career’ as it were.
He can either try to redevelop himself as a winger, as he has dabbled in throughout his career making seven appearances (via Transfermarkt), or he can go to Rodgers’ office and demand that he leaves under the assumption his opportunities will be limited even further.
The problem with trying to reinvent himself as a wide man, is that he faces the same problem but with different faces, this time with the likes of Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez blocking his path.
If his track record is anything to go by when he does venture wide, the 23-year-old is going to need to make some vast improvements if he’s to stand any chance of doing that. When the Nigeria international plays out wide he’s only been involved in one goal, and that was an assist (via Transfermarkt).
Long story short, this move will more than likely mean that Iheanacho’s days of making something of himself at Leicester will more or less be over.
Thus, he’ll be hoping, for his own sake more than anything else, that there’s some hiccup along the way.
