{"id":129513,"date":"2025-09-03T10:52:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T10:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/129513\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T10:52:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T10:52:10","slug":"kelechi-iheanacho-signs-for-celtic-contract-details-and-reaction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/129513\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelechi Iheanacho Signs For Celtic: Contract Details And Reaction"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celtic FC have confirmed the signing of Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho on a one-year deal, with the club holding an option for a further year. The move is subject to international clearance.<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old forward broke through at Manchester City, collecting a League Cup winner\u2019s medal in 2016 before moving to Leicester City, where he made over 200 appearances and lifted the FA Cup under Brendan Rodgers<\/a> in 2021. After a brief stint in Spain with Sevilla and a loan spell at Middlesbrough last season, Iheanacho now arrives in Glasgow.<\/p>\n

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Kasper Schmeichel celebrates after the match with Kelechi Iheanacho and teammates REUTERS\\\/Rebecca Naden”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2023-04-01T161018Z_1262246998_UP1EJ4118X5U8_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-CRY-LEI-REPORT.jpg”,”id”:”129041″,”title”:”Premier League \\u0026#8211; Crystal Palace v Leicester City”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Soccer Football \\u0026#8211; Premier League \\u0026#8211; Crystal Palace v Leicester City \\u0026#8211; Selhurst Park, London, Britain \\u0026#8211; April 1, 2023 Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers<\/a> and Leicester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho look dejected after the match Action Images via Reuters\\\/Andrew Boyers”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2023-01-07T143136Z_1422918352_UP1EJ1714CLF2_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-GLG-LEI-REPORT.jpg”,”id”:”129040″,”title”:”FA Cup Third Round \\u0026#8211; Gillingham v Leicester City”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Soccer Football \\u0026#8211; FA Cup Third Round \\u0026#8211; Gillingham v Leicester City \\u0026#8211; Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham, Britain \\u0026#8211; January 7, 2023 Leicester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates with manager Brendan Rodgers<\/a> after the match REUTERS\\\/Toby Melville”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2016-12-06T195630Z_124055790_MT1ACI14695570_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-MCI-CEL.jpg”,”id”:”129073″,”title”:”Manchester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho scores their first goal”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Britain Football Soccer \\u0026#8211; Manchester City v Celtic \\u0026#8211; UEFA Champions League Group Stage \\u0026#8211; Group C \\u0026#8211; Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England \\u0026#8211; 6\\\/12\\\/16 Manchester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho scores their first goal Reuters \\\/ Phil Noble”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2016-12-06T195810Z_124055890_MT1ACI14695576_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-MCI-CEL-scaled.jpg”,”id”:”129072″,”title”:”Manchester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho scores their first goal”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Britain Football Soccer \\u0026#8211; Manchester City v Celtic \\u0026#8211; UEFA Champions League Group Stage \\u0026#8211; Group C \\u0026#8211; Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England \\u0026#8211; 6\\\/12\\\/16 Manchester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho scores their first goal Reuters \\\/ Phil Noble”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2025-02-12T202850Z_885148448_UP1EL2C1KW0QY_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-SHU-MID-REPORT-scaled.jpg”,”id”:”129071″,”title”:”Championship \\u0026#8211; Sheffield United v Middlesbrough”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Soccer Football \\u0026#8211; Championship \\u0026#8211; Sheffield United v Middlesbrough \\u0026#8211; Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain \\u0026#8211; February 12, 2025 Middlesbrough\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho in action with Sheffield United\\u0026#8217;s Sydie Peck Action Images\\\/Andrew Boyers”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2021-05-07T205501Z_483815003_UP1EH571M3NZG_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEI-NEW-REPORT.jpg”,”id”:”129038″,”title”:”Premier League \\u0026#8211; Leicester City v Newcastle United”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Soccer Football \\u0026#8211; Premier League \\u0026#8211; Leicester City v Newcastle United \\u0026#8211; King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain \\u0026#8211; May 7, 2021 Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers<\/a> with Kelechi Iheanacho after the match Pool via REUTERS\\\/Alex Pantling”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2022-09-01T203810Z_1260226000_UP1EI911LBJ2W_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEI-MUN-REPORT.jpg”,”id”:”129039″,”title”:”Premier League \\u0026#8211; Leicester City v Manchester United”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Soccer Football \\u0026#8211; Premier League \\u0026#8211; Leicester City v Manchester United \\u0026#8211; King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain \\u0026#8211; September 1, 2022 Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers<\/a> gives instructions to James Maddison as Kelechi Iheanacho comes on as a substitute to replace Youri Tielemans REUTERS\\\/Craig Brough”,”itemprop”:”image”},{“src”:”https:\\\/\\\/celtsarehere.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/09\\\/2016-12-06T000000Z_2061173976_MT1ACI14695780_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-CHAMPIONS-MCI-CEL.jpg”,”id”:”129074″,”title”:”Manchester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho in action with Celtic\\u0026#8217;s Erik Sviatchenko”,”alt”:””,”caption”:”Britain Football Soccer \\u0026#8211; Manchester City v Celtic \\u0026#8211; UEFA Champions League Group Stage \\u0026#8211; Group C \\u0026#8211; Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England \\u0026#8211; 6\\\/12\\\/16 Manchester City\\u0026#8217;s Kelechi Iheanacho in action with Celtic\\u0026#8217;s Erik Sviatchenko Action Images via Reuters \\\/ Jason Cairnduff”,”itemprop”:”image”}]” itemscope itemtype=”https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageGallery”><\/p>\n

Internationally, the striker has almost 60 caps for Nigeria and was part of the Super Eagles side that finished runners-up at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Celticfc.com<\/a> Rodgers<\/a>, who knows the player well from their time together at Leicester, welcomed the move:<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Kelechi so well and what he can bring to the team. He is such a talented player, with great ability, athleticism and work-rate. I am sure he will love being at Celtic and I believe our fans will love what he brings. He has great experience and he is right in his peak years so he can be a great signing for us. I am sure he will make a big contribution to the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the manager is clearly pleased, the timing and context of the deal are impossible to ignore. Celtic spent the final days of the transfer window scrambling for a striker after failing to land top targets. Kasper Dolberg slipped away to Ajax, David Datro Fofana chose saying in London over Glasgow, and other avenues collapsed as the deadline passed.<\/p>\n

That left Celtic turning to the free-agent market, where Iheanacho\u2019s availability presented an opportunity Rodgers<\/a> was quick to take. For supporters, though, the deal feels like the definition of last resort. After a summer of bold promises, Celtic enter the Europa League campaign without a marquee forward addition and with growing unease over the club\u2019s ambition.<\/p>\n

We hope the striker can be a solid addition, but the narrative surrounding his arrival reflects a wider frustration: the champions have left themselves scrambling rather than planning, and fans are questioning how the recruitment strategy has allowed things to reach this point.<\/p>\n

For now, Rodgers<\/a> has a striker \u2014 and Iheanacho has a chance to quickly win over a support base desperate for answers as much as goals.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re assuming he has made it in the door for the Europa League squad which was due to be handed in at 11pm this evening.<\/p>\n


\n \"Tees
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