Ex-Manchester City Striker Can Relaunch Career With Celtic After Years in Wilderness

Kelechi Iheanacho is back in British football with Celtic having had his Sevilla contract ripped up on deadline day.

The Nigerian international, 28, put pen to paper on a one year contract at Parkhead with the option of another should both parties feel a deal has worked out next season.

It was a move for the player born out of necessity for the Hoops who went through deadline day seeking more than one striker for Brendan Rodgers after the manager made it clear he needed recruits.

Adam Idah left for Swansea City and the Irishman needed replacing. But the Scottish champions waited too long to sort their first choice plans and had to rely on the free agency market.

Iheanacho, meanwhile, was contacted late in the window by Celts and he moved to have his contract at Sevilla ripped up in a bid to accommodate a freebie switch to Glasgow.

Kelechi Iheanacho joined Celtic

The deal was then confirmed last night before the Europa League squads had to be submitted and it was announced at 11pm.

In context, Iheanacho had the opportunity to move to Celtic back in January when Rodgers was looking to replace Kyogo Furuhashi who had moved to Rennes.

The Japanese has since turned out for Birmingham City but Iheanacho opted to make the move back to England with Middlesbrough.

That did not sit right with Celtic fans who were still complaining about it after he was unveiled as their new signing. However, if manager Rodgers can play this right, it could be the ideal partnership for both parties.

Iheanacho did well with Manchester City where he hit 21 goals in 61 appearances before he was shunted down their pecking order and he made his £25million switch to the King Power Stadium.

Why Celtic and Iheanacho could be match made in heaven

Under Northern Irishman Rodgers there, the attacker won the FA Cup in 2021 and he stuck the ball in the net 61 times for the club in the 232 times he played.

Rodgers, as fans of the Foxes, Celtic and Liverpool will know, is a man manager and will have spotted Iheanacho’s lack of confidence that he has experienced since he departed English football.

The forward scored only three times in Spain with Sevilla before he was allowed to leave on loan for Boro.

And during that short stint he managed only one strike in 15 games. It is safe to say Iheanacho needs a new home where he can earn his confidence back and find his killer instinct.

At Celtic, that may happen for him if he embraces the culture and the ideas put forward by his new gaffer.