Manchester City striker, Kelechi Iheanacho has opened up about his Nigerian upbringing, admitting: “I couldn’t afford 20p to watch Premier League football.”

Iheanacho endured a difficult childhood in Nigeria, but now serves as a hero figure for kids, who crowd round the television to catch a glimpse of him.

That will be the case today, as Iheanacho lines up against Chelsea for Manuel Pellegrini’s side in the FA Cup.

The public pay a fee of 50 naira, around 20 pence, to watch the games, but Iheanacho reveals he couldn’t afford that cost as a child.

“We didn’t have the money,” he told the Daily Mail. “Maybe after the game I’d hear the scores. I’d be at home playing football and my friends would come back after being there to tell me. We didn’t have a television at home.

“Sometimes I watched the Spanish league — it was a bit cheaper, maybe 30 naira. But the Premier League was 50.

“Sometimes I’d watch the Premier League if I found the money, or I’d go there and beg them to let me in. Or sneak in for the second half and pay half the money.”

Iheanacho has nine goals so far this term, and is in line to start at Stamford Bridge as Pellegrini prepares to name an understrength squad ahead of City’s trip to Kiev in midweek.