Middlesbrough secure deadline day deal for former Leicester City and Manchester City striker

Middlesbrough continued to strengthen their attacking options and completed a second transfer deadline day signing after landing Sevilla forward Kelechi Iheanacho on loan for the rest of the season.

The 55-times capped Nigeria international followed in the footsteps of Aston Villa winger Samuel Ilang-Junior by joining Michael Carrick’s squad in the final hours of the January transfer window. The move sees Iheanacho return to English football for the first time since he left Leicester City at the end of last season after winning the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Championship title during a seven-year stay at the King Power Stadium.

However, the former Manchester City frontman has struggled to make an impression with Sevilla after failing to find the net in nine La Liga appearances. His only goals for Francisco García Pimienta’s side came with a brace in a 3-0 win against minnows Las Rozas and a single strike against UE Olot in the same competition.

Iheanacho will hope to revive his season after agreeing to spend the rest of the 2024/25 season on loan at Middlesbrough and he was presented to the Riverside Stadium crowd ahead of Monday night’s North East derby with Sunderland. The move will be a major boost for Carrick as he prepares to lose the services of striker Emmanuel Latte-Lath, who is still set to join MLS side Atlanta United in time for their new season getting underway later this month. Unlike Ilang-Junior, the deal for the Nigerian was not completed in time for him to be in contention to face the Black Cats and his Boro debut is now likely to come in a visit to fellow promotion contenders Sheffield United on Wednesday week.

Iheanacho is Boro’s sixth new addition of the January transfer window after Carrick added goalkeeper Mark Travers, defenders George Edmondson and Ryan Giles and wingers Morgan Whittaker and Iling-Junior to his ranks.

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