Kelechi Iheanacho acknowledges ex-Everton star Aiyegbeni’s achievements
Kelechi Iheanacho acknowledges ex-Everton star Aiyegbeni’s achievements
Yakubu Aiyegbeni made his English Premier League move to join Portsmouth in 2003, and played for the likes of Everton, Blackburn and others afterwards
Super Eagles forward, Kelechi Iheanacho,has been seen responding on social media to notable achievements by former Nigerian international, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, during his prime, Soccernet.ng reports.
While the former Super Eagles star faced criticism from Nigerian football fans for a costly miss during Nigeria’s 2010 World Cup clash against South Korea, recent statistics shared by an Instagram football page highlight Aiyegbeni’s deserving reputation based on his performances.
During his time with Portsmouth, Aiyegbeni played a pivotal role, scoring seven goals in 14 appearances on loan under the guidance of Harry Redknapp, securing the first division title for Portsmouth in the 2002-03 season.
Upon making his move permanent, he scored 16 goals in 38 English Premier League appearances during the 2003-04 season, aiding Portsmouth in avoiding relegation and establishing himself as one of the top strikers among the league’s best teams.
Aiyegbeni, who achieved double figures in six Premier League seasons, amassed a total of 95 goals in the English League.
Leicester City forward Iheanacho, known for his recent equalizer for Peseiro’s men against Zimbabwe, responded in the comments section with a succinct “Facts” and a clapping emoji.
According to Versus’ video caption, Aiyegbeni deserves recognition as an African legend in the Premier League, with attention also drawn to the impact of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in the league.