The impending arrival of Gabriel Jesus at Manchester City in January won’t make 20 year old Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho leave the club on loan in January, Manager of Manchester City Pep Guardiola suggest.
The £27m Brazilian is expected to push the Nigerian forward further down the pecking order at the Etihad, presently he has started just three Premier League game this season, from the six times he has played in the league.
When asked what would have to happen to get the 20-year-old more first team opportunities, Guardiola said: “Change the coach maybe!
“Of course he deserves to play, but there are many, many others who deserve to play too.
“Our job is so uncomfortable for these kind of decisions.
“Normally when these guys don’t train good, when they are not nice guys with his team-mates, it doesn’t matter, but that is not the case with Kele.”
Despite Jesus’ imminent arrival, Guardiola is adamant Iheanacho will get opportunities.
“My advice is keep going, keep fighting, sooner or later everything is coming back, and of course he’s going to have his minutes,” he said.
“Until now he played good, but in the big teams sometimes that happens.
“You can play just 11 players and that’s all.”
