Kelechi Iheanacho kicked off his time in Turkey with a bang. He scored and assisted as Bursaspor won 2-0 against Bodrum in their first match of the 2026/27 season on Sunday.
Iheanacho joined the Turkish second-tier team in July. This move ended months of talks about his future after a successful loan at Celtic last season.
Even with injury setbacks, the Super Eagles star scored nine goals and helped Celtic win a domestic double. This made the Scottish champions want to keep him longer.
But talks did not work out. This opened the door for Bursaspor to sign Iheanacho to a three-year deal.
The 29-year-old quickly made his mark. He opened the scoring in the 27th minute with an easy finish. Just before half-time, he assisted a teammate to double Bursaspor’s lead.
This win puts Bursaspor in second place in the early standings of the Turkish second tier. They are aiming to get back to the Super Lig this season.
Iheanacho has talked about his goals with the team. He is excited about Bursaspor’s plans to return to the top league and compete in Europe.
“When I heard about their project, that they wanted to climb up to the Super Lig and also play in Europe, I said this is a big project and it’s very good for me to come and be involved and help the team,” he said in a video on the club’s official YouTube channel.
“I asked my agent to make sure he does everything possible to make sure I come to Bursaspor.
“We know what we want as a team. Collectively as a team, hopefully we achieve promotion, that is our main target before the individual target of a player.
“My target is for us to go to the Super Lig.”
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