Iheanacho chooses Turkey over Celtic return

Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho, has decided not to return to Scottish champions, Celtic. Instead, he has signed a surprising deal with Turkish club, Bursaspor. He signed a three-year contract that keeps him at Bursaspor until the summer of 2029.

Iheanacho joined Bursaspor as a free agent after his Celtic contract ended on June 30. He turned down a new deal from Celtic, which chose not to activate a 12-month extension option in his previous contract.

He opted for Turkey because Bursaspor offered a much better financial package. Bursaspor announced the signing on Friday with a fun Odyssey-themed video on their social media. This caught the attention of football fans in Turkey and Nigeria. Now, Iheanacho will play in the same league as Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, who is the most valuable player in Turkish football.

This move adds another chapter to Iheanacho's career. He has played in England, Spain, and Scotland, having previously been with Manchester City, Leicester City, and Sevilla before joining Celtic.

Even though he had injury issues during the 2025/26 season, Iheanacho scored nine goals in 24 appearances. He earned a reputation as Celtic’s most reliable player off the bench. He scored five goals in his last eight games as a substitute, including important late winners against Motherwell, Dundee, and Hibernian. This helped Celtic keep their Scottish Premiership title.

Iheanacho also scored a stoppage-time penalty in a 3-2 win over Motherwell. He netted in Celtic’s 3-1 victory against Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup final, helping the Glasgow club achieve a domestic double.

He now joins Bursaspor, who won the 2025/26 TFF 2. Lig title, earning automatic promotion. The team showed strong attacking strength throughout the season, including an impressive 8-0 win over Yeni Malatyaspor. However, their Turkish Cup journey ended early with a 3-0 loss to Antalyaspor in the third qualifying round.

Bursaspor is looking to strengthen their squad with experienced players. Iheanacho’s arrival is seen as a sign of their ambition as they aim for another promotion back to Turkey’s top league.