Sevilla's Orta admits signing Kelechi Iheanacho was a mistake

Posted : 15 April 2025

Sevilla's sporting director, Victor Orta, has admitted that signing Kelechi Iheanacho last summer was a poor decision. The Super Eagles striker’s move to the Spanish club has not gone as expected, and Orta has openly expressed regret about the signing.

Iheanacho's recent years have been challenging, marked by several changes in clubs. After a season with Leicester in which he was largely relegated to the bench, he joined Sevilla in the summer. Despite his potential, his time at Sevilla has been largely uneventful. He scored a few goals in the Copa Del Rey but struggled to make an impact in La Liga, where he found the net just once in 11 appearances.

His lack of impact at Sevilla led to a loan move to English Championship side Middlesbrough. His start there wasn’t smooth either, as he struggled in his first few matches. However, he scored his first goal for Middlesbrough in a 2-1 win over Oxford United and followed it with two assists in their match against Blackburn.

Sevilla recently parted ways with head coach Garcia Pimienta, replacing him with Joaquin Caparros. During the press conference introducing Caparros, Orta spoke about Iheanacho’s disappointing tenure and acknowledged that signing the Nigerian striker was a mistake. He emphasized that the initial idea was for Iheanacho to be a supplementary player, not a starter, with other strikers like Youssef and Isaac ahead of him in the pecking order.

Orta went further, stating that the decision to bet on Iheanacho this season has not worked out as planned. He revealed that the club is currently reviewing the decision to understand why it failed, showing that Sevilla is taking a deeper look at their recruitment strategy. It is clear from his comments that Iheanacho has little future at Sevilla.

For Iheanacho, his next steps are crucial. He must perform well at Middlesbrough to salvage his career and prove that he still has value at a competitive level. If he can regain his form, he might find a new club this summer or continue at Middlesbrough.

However, if his struggles persist, Iheanacho’s future in top-flight football could be in jeopardy. The pressure is on for him to turn his performances around, or else his career may take a serious downturn.

Sevilla's Orta admits signing Kelechi Iheanacho was a mistake

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