Besiktas, Everton threaten Nottingham Forest’s quest to sign Iheanacho

Turkish side, Besiktas, and Everton have joined the race to sign Leicester City’s player of the season, Kelechi Iheanacho, whose club were relegated to the English Championship last season.

While Everton is contemplating making a move for the Super Eagles striker, Besiktas, according to reports, have already tabled a bid for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup winner.

Nottingham Forest were the first club to consider adding Iheanacho to their ranks, which already has two Nigerians, Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis.Iheanacho’s Leicester City contract will elapse in 2025 and reports say the former English champions are open to selling the star that scored five goals in a futile bid to save the club from relegation towards the end of last season.

According to soccernet.ng, Beşiktaş’ proposal entails a yearlong loan agreement covering the player’s yearly salary of two million euros. It said the club’s search for a new striker has been amplified due to Cenk Tosun’s injury; further enhancing Iheanacho’s appeal to the Turkish outfit.

The 26-year-old forward is more inclined to leave Leicester City following the team’s relegation, and Beşiktaş’s offer has brought him closer to a potential move. Iheanacho is Nigeria’s highest-scoring player in English FA Cup history with 18 goals.

Everton’s interest in Iheanacho, according to princerupertstower.com via Tribal Football, is to help the Liverpool side avoid the perennial struggle for survival in the Premiership. It said the cash-strapped club are looking at fairly cheap attacking options to shore up the playing staff.

READ MORE

The latest Nottingham Forest news as the midfielder provided assists for both of England’s goals as they came out as 2-0 winners over Israel.

England manager Gareth Southgate has been told to include Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White in his upcoming England squads after the player’s performance for the U21 team on Sunday.

Gibbs-White was selected in the starting line-up for the Young Lions’ European Championship group game against Israel, where they were looking to build on a 2-0 win over Czech Republic. It didn’t take him too long to make an impact.

In just the 15th minute, the Forest man provided an assist for Everton’s Anthony Gordon to put England ahead. Gibbs-White then earned his second assist of the night when he set up Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe to double England’s lead in the 68th minute.

That is how the score would stay, with Lee Carsley’s side remaining at the top of Group C. England manager and assistant manager Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland were in attendance for the game.

And the performance of Gibbs-White may have just caught their eye. Reacting to the midfielder’s performance, Forest fans took to social media to give their thoughts, here’s what just some had to say.

Elliottbower : Gareth if you’re not looking at Gibbs-White being in the senior team next season I would seriously question your IQ. Doing wonders at #nffc this season with very little possession.

Forest Watch : Two assists from Morgan Gibbs-White tonight What a player! #NFFC

Jamie Martin : Two assists for Morgan Gibbs-White tonight Unreal talent #NFFC #England

Adam : Morgan Gibbs-White comes off on 79 minutes. X2 assists and probably MOTM. He’s put a real shift in #nffc

Gee : everytime i watch him play i just can’t believe he’s ours

Kieran : Regardless of who we sign this summer, Morgan Gibbs-White will be our best player next season. #NFFC

Gareth D : MGW can’t be far off a senior call up now! #NFFC