What Michael Carrick said about Kelechi Ihanacho ahead of his Middlesbrough debut

Middlesbrough head coach, Michael Carrick, has said that Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, is excited and eager to get started at the club.

The 28-year-old forward joined Sevilla from Leicester City on a free transfer last summer, but his time in Spain didn’t go as planned.

To get more playing time and goals, Iheanacho has now returned to the EFL Championship, signing a six-month loan deal with Middlesbrough.

Carrick, speaking about Iheanacho’s arrival, mentioned that the Nigerian forward has a strong desire to prove himself. He added that Iheanacho is ready to make an impact at Riverside.

“Kel has a lot of experience from playing at a high level for many years. He faced us at Riverside last season, and even though we won that day, I could see the quality he has and what he can offer,” Carrick said, as reported by Teesside Live.

“He’s really keen to play. He’s been a great personality since he arrived and has trained well with the team. He’s desperate to get going.”

When asked how he plans to use Iheanacho in attack, Carrick explained that the Nigerian forward will fit well with the other attackers at the club.

“We’ve got Tommy, who is a big part of our team, and now we’ve added Morgan [Whittaker], Kel, and Sam [Iling-Junior] as well, which strengthens our attack,” Carrick said.

“We feel we’ve improved the team in a different way, not just replacing one player with another. Across the front line, we now have good balance and plenty of options.”

Carrick also mentioned that not all attackers can play at once, but he sees this as an advantage. “Football is moving in a direction where you need more players, whether they’re starting or coming off the bench at different times. We’re in a good position,” he added.

Iheanacho could make his debut for Middlesbrough this evening when they travel to Sheffield United in the EFL Championship.