Guardiola confirms imminent Iheanacho exit and buy-back clause

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that striker Kelechi Iheanacho will leave Man City in the next week, but the Citizens will retain an option to buy him back.

The Nigerian has often cut a frustrated figure as he waited for rare first team chances, and has been the subject of a transfer battle between Liecester and West Ham this summer.

And, while Guardiola has not revealed where he will playing next season, he has confirmed it won’t be Man City.

“Kelechi is a young player,” said Guardiola. “It was easy, an honour to work with him, because it’s not easy for him, I didn’t give him a lot of choices.

“But he’s close to making a transfer. Maybe in the next week, in the next 10 days, it’s going to finish.

“We’ll have an option to have the opportunity in a few years to bring him back.

“But he’s a young player and we believe he deserves to play, he needs to play at that age and that’s why the club will decide what’s best for him.”