Kelechi Iheanacho joined Celtic as a free agent in September, signed on a one-year deal after being released by Sevilla, and has spent more time in the treatment room than on the pitch since, Footynaija.com reports.
His first start since the League Cup final against St Mirren in December came on Sunday against Dundee United, a 2-0 defeat that deepened Celtic’s title crisis and gave Chris Sutton fresh ammunition.
Iheanacho has three goals and one assist in 15 appearances this season, and those numbers do not tell the full story of how rarely he has been available or effective.
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Celtic are five points behind the Scottish Premiership leaders with seven games to go, and questions about whether Martin O’Neill’s side can mount any kind of comeback are growing louder.
Sunday’s loss to Dundee United at Tannadice made the situation worse, and Sutton did not hold back when he addressed it via a report by 67hailhail.
Sutton’s verdict
The former Blackburn and Chelsea striker zeroed in on Iheanacho as a symbol of everything wrong with Celtic’s attacking play.
“I still think he’s miles off it. He does some good things in terms of his link-up, which is okay at times. But there were times in the first half where he was just downright lazy, and he didn’t work hard enough when balls were being played forward to actually get in a position where he could even be challenging for a ball and a knockdown,” Sutton said.
He also used the occasion to take a broader swipe at how Celtic have managed their striker situation across the season.
“This is literally like a lucky dip who is going to play centre-forward week in and week out. It just shows you what a mess, what a muddle Celtic are in,” he added.
Iheanacho was hooked just before the hour mark for Sebastian Tounekti, and with his contract expiring in the summer, there is little indication that an extension is on the table.
Sutton was a key player for Celtic during the 2000-2001 treble-winning season, which gives his criticism of a struggling striker a particular weight.
His own record at Chelsea, where he managed one Premier League goal in 28 appearances, is a different story entirely.
