Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has backed Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho to keep delivering for the Hoops following a bright start to life at Celtic Park, Footynaija.com reports.
Iheanacho has registered a goal contribution in each of his first three appearances for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, scoring twice and providing one assist.
The Nigeria international’s latest contribution came in the Europa League against Red Star Belgrade where he came off the bench to score a crucial goal which eventually earned a point away from home.
Iheanacho will be looking to continue his strong form in front of goal when Celtic welcome Hibernian to Celtic Park on Saturday and Rodgers believes we’re yet to see the best of the former Leicester City striker in Celtic colours.
What Brendan Rodgers said about Kelechi Iheanacho
“He’s only going to get better because I know the player. I know how good he can be and how good he was for me,” Rodgers said during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“When he came in, because of the timing of his arrival and everything that surrounded our window, maybe it wasn’t so accepting for him to be in, but there’s absolutely no doubt that of all the players that were available, he was the standout.
“I know his talent and I know how big a player he can be. Now he’s starting to settle into the squad and he’ll show that during his time here.
“When he was at Leicester, he was playing a secondary role virtually all the time to Jamie, and obviously Jamie was an incredible player for Leicester.
“That was always a challenge. If you play in a 4-3-3, then you’re never really playing with two strikers unless you change during the game. But anytime he had to produce and come in, he was excellent.
“It’s like with any player – you need to feel the trust of the coach, you need to feel part of an environment and really inclusive of everyone.
“Then your confidence grows from that. Strikers are confidence players, and I can see that growing with him.
“He’s come back physically in a really good place – his body fat is one of the lowest in our squad, so he’s in a really good way. It’s just catching up on game time, and he can be a big asset for us.”
Iheanacho is already establishing himself as a vital player for Celtic despite only arriving earlier this month. Beyond club football, the 28-year-old is staking a solid claim for a potential return to the Super Eagles setup ahead of October’s qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin.
