Pep Guardiola Stopped Iheanacho From Playing For Nigeria At The Rio Olympics

Kelechi Iheanacho's hope of playing in the Rio 2016 Olympic games was halted by Manchester City incoming boss Pep Guardiola, who is expected to resume club on July 1, and instructed that all players be available for the pre-season. Pep Guardiola knows that playing in the Olympics will further expose the player, but playing during the pre-season will give the Nigerian a better opportunity to gain exposure and fit into the team where the new boss will keep an eye on him and every other player in the team. Iheanacho who is not a first team and regular player under former boss  Manuel Pellegrini, is obliged by this directive to make himself available so as to prove himself to the Catalan who is expected to be at the dugout at begin of the new season. Manchester City are not obliged to release the 19-year old for the Rio Olympics, but Iheanacho can decide to play for Nigeria if he so wishes, but that will be at his own peril. It will be recalled that Lionel Messi opted to play for Argentina in the Beijing 2008 Olympics even when Barcelona did not release him, but that was a different case, Messi is an exceptional player.