Kelechi Iheanacho’s arrival: The boost Middlesbrough needs for EPL promotion?

Ayomide Akinkuade
7 Min Read

Kelechi Iheanacho’s transfer to Middlesbrough has ignited a heated debate among football enthusiasts, with opinions divided between those who see it as a step down and others who view it as a strategic move to rejuvenate his career.

Nonetheless, Middlesbrough fans are overwhelmingly optimistic about Kelechi Iheanacho’s signing, believing that his top-flight experience and goal-scoring record are rare qualities which proves that he is the perfect addition for their push for promotion to the Premier League.

Rival fans, on the other hand, have reacted with anxiety to Iheanacho’s arrival, with some lamenting their own club’s lack of transfer activity and others conceding that their team could benefit from a similar signing to boost their promotion prospects.

Kelechi Iheanacho's arrival: The boost Middlesbrough needs for EPL promotion?
Kelechi Iheanacho

Middlesbrough boast a rich history, being one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, with the majority of their professional existence spent in the top two tiers of English football. However, since their relegation to the Championship in 2009, the team has faced significant challenges in their bid to regain their status as a Premier League side.

Middlesbrough briefly tasted Premier League action again in 2016, earning promotion in thrilling fashion. However, their stay was short-lived, as they suffered relegation the following season, managing only five wins and a league-low 27 goals. Since then, the team has endured a rollercoaster ride in the Championship, struggling to find consistency and ultimately failing to secure promotion to the Premier League.

However, Michael Carrick’s appointment as Middlesbrough Head Coach has injected a fresh wave of optimism among the club’s supporters. Carrick’s first season in charge yielded promising results, as Middlesbrough finished fourth in the league, narrowly missing out on promotion after they ultimately fell short in the play-off semi-finals against Coventry City.

Kelechi Iheanacho's arrival: The boost Middlesbrough needs for EPL promotion?
Michael Carrick (Left) celebrating a victory with Hayden Hackney (Right)

The team also achieved a notable milestone by reaching the League Cup semi-finals for the first time in nearly two decades. Despite a thrilling first-leg victory over Chelsea, Middlesbrough ultimately succumbed to a 6-2 aggregate defeat.

Middlesbrough is once again in contention for Premier League promotion this season, currently occupying seventh place with 44 points. With goal difference separating them from Blackburn, who hold the final playoff spot, the battle for promotion is heating up and Kelechi Iheanacho’s signing is exactly what the team needs to boost their promotion prospects.

At 28, Kelechi Iheanacho boasts an impressive resume, having navigated a football journey from the streets of Nigeria to Europe’s top leagues. With stints at Manchester City, Leicester City, and a brief spell at Sevilla in La Liga, Iheanacho’s vast experience will be a vital asset in Middlesbrough’s pursuit of promotion.

Kelechi Iheanacho has already tasted success in the Championship, having played for Leicester City during their 2023-2024 campaign where the team broke remarkable records, earning their best start to a league season, and the best since the league became known as the Championship in 2004–05. Ultimately, they secured promotion back to the Premier League as champions, accomplishing the feat on their first attempt after relegation.

Kelechi Iheanacho's arrival: The boost Middlesbrough needs for EPL promotion?
Kelechi Iheanacho celebrating Leicester’s Championship title win

Despite scoring only five goals during the remarkable title-winning campaign, Kelechi Iheanacho’s strikes were often decisive, as each of his goals contributed to a win. His goals proved to be crucial in securing victories against Norwich, Blackburn, Preston, Stoke City, and Swansea. Essentially, whenever Kelechi Iheanacho scored, Leicester City won.

Despite being left out of the squad repeatedly following his return from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, Leicester City coach as at then, Enzo Maresca, moved to clarify that there were no issues between him and Kelehi Iheanacho, emphasizing that their relationship remained positive and unaffected.

Kelechi Iheanacho has a reputation for scoring crucial goals in high-pressure situations. His impressive career began at the international level, where he represented Nigeria’s under-17 team at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, winning the tournament’s best player award, and finishing as the second-highest goalscorer, leading Nigeria to their fourth title.

On 10 September 2016, Iheanacho made a significant impact in the Manchester derby, starting the game and contributing an assist and a goal in Manchester City’s 2-1 victory. Four days later, Iheanacho came off the bench to score the final goal in Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Champions League.

Iheanacho scored his 10th premier league goal before clocking 20, allowing him to join an exclusive list of players to have achieved this remarkable feat, including Premier League greats such as Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, and Romelu Lukaku.

Kelechi Iheanacho's arrival: The boost Middlesbrough needs for EPL promotion?
Kelechi Iheanacho in action for Manchester City

Iheanacho then played a vital role in Leicester City’s 2020-21 FA Cup success, scoring four goals throughout the tournament, the joint highest tally across the competition as his contributions helped the club win the trophy for the first time in their history. He also scored the decisive penalty in the 2021 FA Community Shield against Manchester City, securing Leicester City’s victory and lifting the trophy.

Due to his impressive collection of achievements and goals, it is no surprise that Middlesbrough fans are excited about the prospect of Kelechi Iheanacho playing for them.

As the Championship season reaches a critical juncture, hopes are high that Iheanacho’s experience and quality will prove instrumental in securing Middlesbrough’s promotion to the Premier League for the first time in eight years, etching his name in the club’s history books, while also revitalizing his own career as a reliable and prolific goalscorer.

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