Sevilla Sporting Director shuts down striker speculation but Nigeria star could leave in January | OneFootball

Sevilla are in desperate need of a striker to score goals, be it one they already have or one they sign in the January transfer window. However it will not be former Espanyol striker Martin Braithwaite.

The veteran forward, currently playing for Gremio, has been linked to Sevilla this week, as they search for a reliable option up front. ED asked Sporting Director Victor Orta about Braithwaite, to which they were met with a simple ‘no’. However the same outlet go on to emphasize that the €6-7m price tag for the 33-year-old is considered prohibitive.

On the other hand, they do feel they need a replacement for Kelechi Iheanacho. The Nigeria international has not hit the ground running at Sevilla, and has only scored twice in the Copa del Rey against lower-league Las Roza. In his 7 Liga appearances, he has scarcely looked the part either, and Diario AS say that Sevilla have decided that he is a lost cause.

A gamble from Orta, he is under contract until 2026, and they may look to move Iheanacho on in January. However his wages, which are ‘not small’, could make it difficult to do so. Their primary hope is a loan move to a Championship team in England.

While Isaac Romero is also yet to score, the general feeling in Nervion is that he is contributing more to the team’s attacks than Iheanacho, as evidenced by his assist for Djibril Sow recently. Iheanacho is a second gamble in successive summers for Sevilla, who did not manage to get the performance they wanted from Mariano Diaz last year either.