Iheanacho hasn’t fulfilled his potential - Olofinjana believes Super Eagles star still has more to offer

Iheanacho hasn’t fulfilled his potential - Olofinjana believes Super Eagles star still has more to offer

Hassan Abdulsalam 15:28 - 16.04.2025

Olofinjana believes that Iheanacho is yet to reach his full potential.

Former Nigerian international Seyi Olofinjana has voiced his opinion that Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has yet to fully realise his immense potential, stating that the 28-year-old possesses the capabilities to become one of the true greats of the game.

Iheanacho's career began with promise at Manchester City, where he won the Football League Cup before a significant move to Leicester City in 2017.

His £25 million transfer fee was a record for a Nigerian player at the time and the second-highest for an African, only behind Mohamed Salah.

At Leicester, Iheanacho played a crucial role in their FA Cup triumph in the 2020-21 season, finishing as joint top scorer in the competition.

Super Eagles star Kelechi Iheanacho.
Super Eagles star Kelechi Iheanacho.

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He also scored the decisive penalty that secured their victory over Manchester City in the 2021 FA Community Shield. His contributions led to him being named Leicester's Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season and he helped the club gain promotion back to the Premier League, scoring six goals in 26 appearances across all competitions.

However, since he departed from Leicester in 2024 and his subsequent move to Sevilla, Iheanacho has struggled for consistent playing time, netting three goals in 11 appearances for the Spanish side before joining Middlesbrough on loan.

His form dipped, leading to his exclusion from the Super Eagles squad for crucial World Cup qualifiers, a decision that sparked concern among Nigerian football fans.

What Olofijana said

Speaking to Brila FM, Olofinjana shared his thoughts on Iheanacho's career trajectory.

“Kelechi Iheanacho hasn’t really fulfilled his potential. He has the ability to be a true great of the game. As African players, we get satisfied too easily," he said.

With his loan spell at Middlesbrough nearing its end, the next career move for the 28-year-old remains uncertain.