Kelechi Iheanacho burst into the scene when he helped Nigeria win the U-17 World Cup in 2013 at the United Arab Emirate which caught the attention of Manchester City and he was signed by the premier league side.
He was nurtured and grew into the most lethal striker in the history of the premier league as regards the goals per minute ratio ahead of more established names Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry and teammate Sergio Aguero.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a remarkable rise under former manager Manuel Pellegrini but with the arrival of Pep Guardiola, he has found regular playing-time had to come-by with the gaffer preferring Aguero and new boy Gabriel Jesus.
However, the Nigerian is actually been forced out of Manchester City by the emergence of 17-year-old Stockport-born midfielder, Phil Foden.
Foden was named in the Citizens preseason tour of the United States while Nigerian star, Iheanacho was dropped as he awaits the completion of his deal to Leicester City this summer.
Guardiola smiled like a proud father on the sidelines as he watches Foden mesmerize the duo of Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba in Manchester United’s midfield during the International Champions Cup match in Houston and despite City losing the first Manchester derby ever to be played outside England by 2-0, the 17-year-old’s display surely caught the eye.
‘I don’t have words – I would like to have the right words to describe what I saw,’ Guardiola told a press conference after the Manchester derby in the United States.
‘You are the lucky guys who saw the first game, for the first team for Manchester City, of this guy.
‘It’s a long time since I saw something like this. His performance was another level. He’s 17-years-old, he’s a City player, he grew up in the academy, he loves the club, he’s a City fan and for us he’s a gift.
‘He will stay with us training with us in the pre-season and maybe he’ll stay with us in season because he’s special.’
Foden has been with Manchester City since Under-9 level, has not yet made his senior debut despite being on the bench during a UEFA Champions League game against Celtic in December 2016.
