West Ham United have reportedly made a bid for Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, and Pep Guardiola is prepared to let him leave.
The Spanish tactician wasted little time wrapping up his first summer signing, with Bernardo Silva arriving from Monaco last week to further bolster the attacking options at the Etihad.
What that means is that there will be additional competition for places, and with more new faces expected to arrive in the next few months, it’s likely that Iheanacho will be the one to suffer and fall further down the pecking order.
According to The Mirror, West Ham are ready to rescue him from that potential misery at the Etihad, although they’re unlikely to splash out £20m, which is what City value the 20-year-old at.
Instead, it may well suit both parties if they can reach an agreement over a loan deal, as although he has struggled for playing time, Iheanacho has shown what he can offer with 14 goals in 36 appearances last season, and further down the line he could be a real asset to City.
However, with Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero ahead of him in Guardiola’s plans for the time being, his minutes will continue to be restricted in Manchester and on a personal level, he will surely be desperate to play more even if that means leaving City.
As for West Ham, they’re in need of bringing in more attacking options ahead of next season, and Iheanacho could fit the bill as he could potentially follow Pablo Zabaleta to the Olympic Stadium after the veteran made his move official last week.