ANDREW EKEJIUBA
Super Eagles terrific striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, has dedicated his English Premier League Player of the Month award to his teammates and manager.
Iheanacho was voted as the Premier League’s EA SPORTS Player of the Month following his outstanding performance for the Foxes in March.
Iheanacho scored five goals in March, including the equalizer against Brighton & Hove Albion, a stunning volley away at Burnley, which was in contention for the Budweiser Goal of the Month award, and a hat-trick in Leicester’s 5-0 win against Sheffield United at King Power Stadium.
He was one of eight players shortlisted for the award and beat the likes of Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez, and Manchester United’s Luke Shaw to the accolade.
The Super Eagles attacking kingpin after receiving the award said, “I’m so pleased and honored to win this award.
“It’s great to be recognised, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of my team-mates and the manager.
“I’m enjoying playing at the minute and hopefully I can push on and help the team to finish as high as possible this season.”
The Foxes are next in Premier League action against Manchester City at King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Iheanacho played in Super Eagles last two Africa Nations Cup qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho starting in both games. He is the fourth Nigerian player to win the Premier League Player of the Month, after Jay-Jay Okocha, Peter Odemwingie (3 times) and Odion Ighalo.
Meanwhile, Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers is delighted to have Super Eagles duo, Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi back to the club.
Both players returned to England after helping Nigeria to qualify for the 2021 Africa Nations Cup.
With Leicester City set to take on Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup, both players could miss the game going by the new COVID-19 rules in the UK.
Fourteen Leicester players were called up for international duty over the past fortnight and, while some are yet to report back for duty at LCFC Training Ground, Rodgers says those who are in training are looking fit and ready to resume their domestic duties.
“Thankfully, it’s all gone very well, so I’m just delighted to have the squad back again,” he explained.
“We’ll assess that over the next 24 hours. They’re virtually, some of them, just getting back in.
“We’ve still got a few players who aren’t back as of yet.”