Kelechi Iheanacho’s participation at the Olympic Games is in doubt as Manchester City are yet to give him the green light to represent Nigeria.
According to Nigeria Olympic team coach, Samson Siasia, the Premier League club is yet to respond to several requests for Iheanacho to be released for the Rio spectacle, which starts in August.
“The Nigeria Football Federation has written several letters to them (Manchester City) wanting to know when the player would be released for the Games in Brazil, but as I speak with you the club has not replied,” Siasia told the Manchester Evening News.
“So for now I cannot confidently tell you that Iheanacho would be available for the Olympics, although we are not relenting on the issue as the NFF is fighting tooth and nail to ensure we have our best players for the Olympics.
“Kelechi told me he is anxious to play in the Olympics and I am sure with much pressure the boy would be released eventually.”
Nigeria are still waiting to hear whether Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho will be able to play in the Rio Olympics, the nation’s coach for the Games has said.
The national team’s under-23 coach, Samson Siasia, says they are yet to have a reply from the Premier League club to requests for Iheanacho to be released so he can take part in the tournament in Brazil in August.
Unlike at previous Olympics, clubs are not obliged to release players to take part.
Iheanacho faces a difficult decision as joining up with Nigeria would see him miss most of City’s preseason and a chance to impress new boss Pep Guardiola.
But Siasia says 19-year-old Iheanacho, who scored 14 goals for City in all competitions in his debut season, is keen to play in the tournament.
He said in the Manchester Evening News: “The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has written several letters to them wanting to know when the player would be released for the Games in Brazil but as I speak with you the club has not replied.
“So for now I cannot confidently tell you that Iheanacho would be available for the Olympics, although we are not relenting on the issue as the NFF is fighting tooth and nail to ensure we have our best players for the Olympics.
“Kelechi also told me he is anxious to play in the Olympics and I am sure with much pressure the boy would be released eventually. But for now I cannot tell you he will be in the Olympics.”
Nigeria, who missed out on qualification for the Africa Nations Cup, are one of three African countries at the tournament along with Algeria and South Africa.
The final is on August 19 and if Nigeria progress that far, Iheanacho would miss City’s opening two league games of the season against Sunderland and Stoke.
