Nigerian teenage goalkeeper Kelechi Chibueze signs professional contract with Leicester City

NIGERIAN teenage goalkeeper and former England U16 international Kelechi Chibueze has signed his first professional contract with English Premier League side Leicester City after successfully completing trials at the club.

Chibueze, 17, who last played for Chelsea youth team, was being courted by French club Nice after ending his 10-year association with Chelsea in October last year. However, he opted to stay in England and after having impressed the coaching crew at the King Power Stadium has now signed for The Foxes.

Born in 2003, Chibueke impressed his teammates and coaching staff alike while on trial at Leicester over the last two months. He manned goal for the club when Leicester lost to West Brom in the U18 Premier League back in November.

He will compete with another Nigeria-eligible goalkeeper who also has a previous connection to Chelsea, Chituru Odunze, for a starting shirt with Leicester City's U18 side. If both goalkeepers break into the first team, they will then have to make decisions about their senior careers and decided whether they want to play for Nigeria or England.

Leicester City has been a good home for Nigerian players of late, with Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho currently in the first team. Ahmed Musa had also featured for the club, which at one time had youth prospects Calvin Bassey and Habib Makanjuola on its books.