Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho admits he cannot wait to pair up with Sergio Aguero in the City side.
With Aguero just coming back from a lengthy lay-off, Kelechi has come into prominence and has scored three goals for the Blues this season – most recently notching up one in the League Cup win over Hull.
He has made two starts and eight cameos from the bench this season and has been earmarked as a top talent for the future. And he desperately wants to link up with Aguero.
The two are yet to line up together from the start, but the young Nigerian is eager to play alongside the City talisman and believes it would take his performance up another gear.
Pellegrini has placed his trust in Kelechi, but strangely, believes that the 19-year old is a ‘number ten’. Kelechi though feels he can adapt to a number of roles – including playing up top with a certain Argentine.
He is quoted by the MEN as saying:
I play as a number ten, as a striker on my own or as a striker with another striker. If I am the lone striker, I can play, but can also do the other two positions well. You need to be a good player to play with Sergio in the team, so I am working hard to show I can play with him in the team.When you play with superstars, it makes the game easier for you. They always make the right decision, and they know when you will run and when you will stop.
Kelechi has quite the meteoric rise this season, figuring in Pellegrini’s first-team plans after two promising pre-season campaigns. And his terrific form has been rewarded with a call-up to the Nigeria national team squad.
He remains grounded, though and says that being in the same environment as elite players is great for his development.
You need to keep working hard in training, listening to the older players, listening to the coaches – and then use your strength as a younger player. If you do that, you will get there. When they shout at you, you can be afraid, but you need to take it out of your head, keep working hard and pushing yourself in every game, every training session. City are a big team and I am just coming up as a young player, so I am not worried.
