Kelechi Iheanacho‘s future at Sevilla could possibly take a new turn. Despite having been signed to lead the attack, the Nigeria forward may find himself in a new role far from his natural position.
Sevilla's head coach, García Pimienta, recently provided a glimpse into his plans for Iheanacho, especially following the forward's recent international duties with Nigeria.
While he has often been utilised as a central figure in attack, Pimienta's comments suggest the club might look to use him differently, perhaps as a winger, even though he has struggled to find his form in both club and international competitions.
Recall that during Super Eagles outings in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches, Iheanacho was mostly used in that direction.
Kelechi Iheanacho’s natural position and the shift in strategy
Against Benin, the 27-year-old was positioned on the right flank in a 3-4-3 formation, and later, in a 4-3-3 setup against Rwanda, he took up a similar wide role.
Although these performances displayed his adaptability, Nigeria's results were poor—securing qualification with a 1-1 draw against Benin but facing disappointment with a 2-1 loss to Rwanda.
However, just ahead of Sevilla's La Liga clash against Rayo Vallecano, Pimienta addressed the possibility of deploying Iheanacho in a wide role again.
While the coach acknowledged the forward's ability to play out wide, he was quick to point out that the Nigerian international is not ideally suited for such a position.
“We have Lukebakio, Jesús, Suso. Isra has got a shoulder injury. Iheanacho played there in the last match and did well despite it not being his natural position. We can use Peque or Barco.
“We can adapt to play differently depending on who plays. We are not going to make excuses, and whoever plays will contribute,” Pimienta said while speaking to the club's official website.
