Everton appear keen on signing Iheanacho ahead of next season on a free transfer from Leicester

SUPER Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has emerged as a summer transfer target for English Premier League giants Everton after he and his current club Leicester City failed to reached an agreement on renewing his contract.

Iheanacho, 27, is set to leave Leicester after her and the club fell out earlier on in the year when he joined Nigeria's camp at the African Cup of Nations after just recovering from injury. Ignoring pleas from the club to pass on the tournament, Iheanacho joined up with his Super Eagles team mates and as a result fell out of favour at the King Power Stadium, becoming a bit-part player.

With Leicester now promoted back to the Premier League, they are looking to rebuild and have decided to let Iheanacho go as part of this process. Everton, who have just avoided relegation, have decided to pounce as one thing they desperately need is a proven gosalscorer, given that all season, the team only scored 39 league goals from 37 games just four above bottom side Sheffield United.

Iheanacho is third in the pecking order at Leicester under Enzo Maresca, with Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka the preferred choice strikers for the Italian manager. In what was a season with limited opportunities, Iheanacho scored five goals in 10 starts for the Foxes in the English Championship.

Earlier this year, Iheanacho rejected a new contract offer from Leicester, signalling that his time at the King Power Stadium will end. Since then, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have also reportedly been interested in the striker who will now be a free agent at the end of the season.

Everton’s former chief executive Keith Wyness, 66, confirmed that Iheanacho is a target for Sean Dyche’s Everton. Speaking on the Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Mr Wyness, who served at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 spoke on Iheanacho’s situation with Leicester City.

He said: “There will have been discussions about his future behind the scenes and both sides may be close, or he could be trying to put fan pressure on the board. All these little things aren’t a coincidence, there is usually something going on behind the scenes.

"I think he can do a big job for Premier League sides. I know Everton have been interested in him and he’s got the ability to get a good move in the Premier League.”

This season, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are Everton’s Premier League top goalscorers with seven goals each, while Beto is third with three goals. Iheanacho on the other hand scored five from 10 starts with Leicester, averaging a goal every two games and is more clinical than the two Everton strikers combined.