Iheanacho Moves to Spain to Reload His Career, Despite Salary Reduction at Sevilla

Amid rumors of interest in Kelechi Iheanacho from Turkish clubs and mid-table Premier League teams, the striker has unexpectedly moved to Spain. At Sevilla, he will attempt to relaunch his career and help the new team emerge from a crisis.

What is Kelechi Iheanacho’s Salary at Sevilla FC?

The Nigerian national team striker joined the Spanish club in the summer of 2024 with a contract running until June 30, 2026. Over two years in Spain, Iheanacho will earn €9,600,000, excluding bonuses. For the 2024/2025 season, Iheanacho will make €4,800,000 per year, which amounts to €92,308 per week.

Team Salary Overview: Iheanacho as the Highest Paid Foreign Player

In the 2023/2024 season, Sevilla’s total wage expenses are €57,130,000, or €1,098,654 per week, ranking fifth among La Liga clubs. The highest-paid player on the team is forward Saúl Ñíguez, a former Spain national team player on loan from Atlético Madrid, earning €5,000,000 per year (€96,154 per week).

Kelechi Iheanacho is the second-highest-paid player at the club, with central defender Marcao close behind, earning €420,000 less. Iheanacho is also the highest-paid foreign player at Sevilla and among all African players at the club.

Additionally, Kelechi Iheanacho is among the top three highest-paid African players in La Liga. He leads in terms of earnings among Nigerian players, with winger Chidera Ejuke earning over 2.5 times less.

Career Salary Comparison 

A year after his debut for Manchester City’s first team, Iheanacho’s salary increased fivefold. In the 2017/2018 season, he moved to Leicester City, where his earnings increased by over €605,000. After renewing his contract with Leicester in 2021, his salary grew by nearly 1.5 times, marking the highest earnings of his career. However, after moving to La Liga, the striker’s earnings decreased by around €180,000.

Market Value: Decline After a Disappointing 2022/23 Season

Over two seasons at Manchester City, Iheanacho contributed to 29 goal actions, and by the time of his transfer to Leicester, his market value had increased 20 times. Initially, he struggled to secure a spot in the new team, leading to a €3 million drop in his transfer value, which returned to its previous level by 2020. His excellent performances in all competitions during the 2021/22 season led to a €5 million rise in market value, reaching its peak.

However, after a disappointing 2022/23 season, Iheanacho saw less playing time, and Leicester’s relegation to the Championship, combined with reduced productivity, led to his transfer value decreasing by more than half. Currently, Transfermarkt.com values the striker at €12 million, making him the fifth most expensive player at Sevilla.

Achievements with the National Team

In 2013, Kelechi Iheanacho debuted for Nigeria’s U17 team, reaching the finals of two major tournaments. First, they lost to Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations on penalties, and six months later, they played in the World Cup, where Iheanacho contributed 11 goal actions, earning gold medals and the award for the tournament’s best player.

In 2015, he made his debut for Nigeria’s senior national team, representing the country in three tournaments. The most successful was the 2023 African Cup of Nations, where he earned silver medals. In total, Iheanacho has played 54 matches for Nigeria, scoring 15 goals and providing 8 assists.

Prospects

Currently, Kelechi Iheanacho is adapting to his new team, splitting his playing time between starting and coming off the bench. With one of his main competitors, Isaac Romero, injured, the Nigerian might receive more playing time and have a greater impact at Sevilla, possibly leading to a contract extension for another season.