Nigeria’s fast-rising teenage striker, Kelechi Iheanacho has been left out of Manchester City’s 21-man Champions League squad.
The 18-year-old Golden Eaglets star who has been elevated to the Cityzen’s first-team squad by manager Manuel Pellegrini this season and made a brief substitute appearance in last Saturday’s Barclays Premier League win over Watford was excluded from the 21-man squad City submitted to the European governing body because the club had already filled the maximum 17 foreign players.
Though, the teenager is eligible to feature in Manchester city’s other cup competitions, including the league, the omission means, he will have to wait for a Champions League chance next term.
While City can supplement their squad from a ‘B’ list of Under 21 players, Iheanacho, who joined the club last year, does not qualify for that category until he has been at the club two years. The club could have named up to 25 players on their ‘A’ list but have not filled up the quota. The 17 foreign players are joined by Englishmen Joe Hart, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling, and Gael Clichy, who also counts as homegrown.
By Olisemeka Obeche
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