Rumour Mills: Samsunspor close in on record-breaking move for Nigeria’s Iheanacho

By Dayo Awoniyi 

Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho is on the verge of completing a move to Turkish Super Lig side Samsunspor, in what could become the club’s most expensive signing to date.

The 28-year-old, who turns 29 in October, is set to leave Sevilla after a turbulent spell in Spain. Iheanacho joined Sevilla on a free transfer last summer but struggled to make an impact, spending much of his early months behind Isaac Romero in the pecking order.

His time at Middlesbrough on loan last season also yielded limited success, as he scored just one goal and registered two assists in 15 appearances.

Following his return to Sevilla, Iheanacho was linked with multiple clubs across Europe and in Mexico. However, the forward has now emerged as a priority target for Samsunspor, who are keen to bolster their squad ahead of the new season.

The Turkish club, who finished third in the Super Lig last season, are reportedly prepared to break their €2.5 million transfer record to secure Iheanacho’s services.

According to journalist George Tsarouchas, the Nigerian striker has already agreed to personal terms worth €1.2 million per year, with the final hurdle now being the negotiation of the transfer fee, which is believed to be around €3.5 million.

If the deal goes through, Iheanacho will be tasked with helping Samsunspor strengthen their squad and push for an even more successful campaign this season. The move represents a fresh opportunity for the striker, who will be hoping for a resurgence after a difficult few years at both club and international levels.

As negotiations continue, it remains to be seen whether Sevilla and Samsunspor can finalize the deal in time for Iheanacho to feature in Samsunspor’s opening fixtures of the Super Lig season.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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