Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho may not be available for Sevilla when the Spaniards trade tackles with Fulham on Monday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Iheanacho became Sevilla’s newest signing this week after signing a two-year deal following his departure from Leicester City this summer.
While he has since landed in Spain, Iheanacho has been unable to join Sevilla’s training sessions due to bureaucratic hurdles, leaving the striker out of the club’s immediate pre-season plans.
The Super Eagles forward missed Friday’s training session at the Carretera de Utrera and is unlikely to participate in sessions over the weekend.
With just two weeks left before the start of La Liga, where Sevilla will face UD Las Palmas on matchday one, Iheanacho’s absence is a concern for the club.
Iheanacho was expected to train on Friday afternoon and during the closed sessions on Saturday and Sunday. However, a last-minute issue has kept him off the pitch, preventing him from meeting his new teammates and beginning the process of getting match-fit.
Why Iheanacho is out of Sevilla training this weekend
According to Estadio Deportivo, this delay is not due to any physical injury but rather a bureaucratic snag involving the transfer of his documents from the English Football Association to the Spanish Federation.
The paperwork, which includes the international transfer and other necessary work-related documents, had not been received by the time training began on August 2.
With the weekend ahead, there is no expectation of resolving this issue until Monday.
This delay means Iheanacho will miss valuable training time, including the upcoming pre-season friendly against Fulham at the Algarve Stadium in Faro.
Fulham will likely parade two of Iheanacho’s international teammates – Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey – and it is a reunion they would all be looking forward to.
In Iheanacho’s potential absence, Iwobi would be primed to steal the show after the former Arsenal man scored the winner in Fulham’s last friendly win over Benfica.
Sevilla fans and the club’s new coach, García Pimienta, will be hoping the issues are resolved swiftly to integrate Iheanacho into the squad.
The team’s final pre-season match will be against Liverpool at Anfield on August 11, just days before La Liga kicks off.
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