Iheanacho still not fit to return to action – Leicester coach

Speaking to reporters at the pre-match press conference before his side’s Championship clash versus Coventry City, Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca made it clear that Kelechi Iheanacho is not fit to return to action. 

Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro claimed on two different occasions this week that the striker had gotten a clean bill of health from Leicester City’s medical team and would link up with his international teammates in Ivory Coast on Saturday. 

Iheanacho has been nursing an injury which has prevented him from being called up to the Leicester City squad since the 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on Boxing Day. 

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It is now confirmed beyond doubt that the 27-year-old will sit out Nigeria’s opening match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations against Equatorial Guinea, assuming he is released to the Nigeria Football Federation by the Foxes. 

Iheanacho was not spotted in any of the twenty-one training images published by Leicester City on Friday afternoon and will not be in the squad for the M69 derby at Coventry City. 

In quotes relayed by Leicester City’s official webpage, Maresca said: “Kasey is back and Dennis is back. The only ones [out] are Jamie and Kel, still out, both of them.”

Jose Peseiro has been faced with an injury crisis in the lead up to the Super Eagles AFCON opener, with Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar forced to withdraw from the squad due to injuries.