Former Tottenham defender Alan Hutton has voiced his opinion that Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho would likely be a squad player at Aston Villa if he were to move to Villa Park this summer, as reported by Soccernet.ng.
Iheanacho is currently in his final week with Leicester City, where he has spent the past seven years.
During his time with the Foxes, he has made 232 appearances, scoring 61 goals and providing 34 assists.
As Iheanacho’s contract with Leicester comes to an end, he is expected to secure a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
Despite his five goals last season helping Leicester return to the Premier League, Aston Villa has shown interest in the 27-year-old Nigerian striker.
Football Insider reports that Villa’s sporting director Monchi has already initiated contact with Iheanacho’s representatives.
Villa are reportedly considering Iheanacho as a potential replacement for Jhon Duran, the 20-year-old Colombian international who is set to leave Villa Park amid interest from Chelsea.
However, Hutton believes Villa should set their sights higher. Speaking to Villa News, Hutton expressed his doubts about Iheanacho being an upgrade over Duran.
“I feel like they will aim for a higher target,” Hutton said. “I mean we’re talking about a Champions League team here.
You know, I like Duran, but I just don’t think that’s an upgrade if I’m honest.”
Hutton suggested that while Iheanacho could be a useful squad player for cup games, he might struggle to challenge Ollie Watkins for the starting striker position.
“Watkins for me is number one there’s no getting away from that,” Hutton added. “You need somebody else; you can’t go through a full campaign as well as Europe just having one striker.”
Despite Hutton’s reservations, Iheanacho brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record as a goalscorer.
He has Champions League experience, having scored twice in three games for Manchester City during the 2016/17 season.
Additionally, Iheanacho is one of Nigeria’s top performers in Premier League history, with 42 goals and 25 assists in 196 appearances.
The potential move to Aston Villa would offer Iheanacho the opportunity to participate in their Champions League campaign next season, which could be a tempting proposition for the striker.
However, the question remains whether Villa will see him as the right fit to bolster their attacking options or if they will heed Hutton’s advice and look for a higher-profile target.
