Iheanacho was born in the town of Obogwe in Ohaji Egbema LGA, in the state of Imo. As a youth, he represented Taye Academy in Owerri, the capital city of Imo.
His performances for Nigeria in the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup led to interest from clubs in Europe; teams following his progress included Arsenal, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Porto.
In December 2012, Iheanacho travelled to England to discuss a move to Manchester City. He signed a pre-contract agreement with the club, stating his intent to formally sign for City on his 18th birthday in October 2014.
In the interim, he returned to Nigeria. As the year drew to a close, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) named him the Most Promising Talent of the Year for 2013 at the CAF Awards.
But the wonder kid as well as most Nigeria players will be missing when the AFCON begins tomorrow.
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