Former Scotland international midfielder Callum McGregor has praised Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho for his incredible attitude and hard work since arriving at Celtic from Sevilla, Footynaija.com reports.
Iheanacho has enjoyed a strong start to his Celtic career, boasting three goal contributions (2G, 1A) in four appearances across all competitions for the Hoops since arriving in the summer.
The Nigeria international scored a crucial last minute winner in his Scottish Premiership debut against Kilmarnock to preserve Celtic’s unbeaten start to the season. He followed that up with an assist against Partick Thistle in the League Cup before scoring against Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League.
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While Iheanacho ultimately failed to continue his goal contribution run in Celtic’s recent 0-0 draw against Hibernian, the Super Eagles star did come close to keeping his streak alive. He hit the bar with a close-range effort and saw a goal rightly chopped off for offside.
What Callum McGregor said about Kelechi Iheanacho
Sharing his thoughts about the Nigerian forward, 32-year-old McGregor, who has spent virtually all of his career at Celtic, racked up over 500 appearances and won 12 Premiership titles with the Hoops, had nothing but words of praise.
“I think the first time I saw him, you know, you can just tell by the way someone hits the ball—you think, ‘Right, he can play,” he said, per Glasgow Times.
“He’s got a big pedigree. He’s played at big clubs and obviously played under the manager at Leicester as well, and you can see he’s a good player.
“The reason we’ve got him is probably because he’s lacking a bit of game time and just needs to get up to speed. The good thing is, he’s come in and his attitude’s been amazing. It’s a good business that comes in many forms.
“You don’t always need to pay big money for good players—it’s about getting them at the right time and getting them hungry. There are so many factors involved when you sign players. You need them at the right moment.”
Celtic have a tough European clash coming up on Thursday with Portuguese outfit SC Braga slated to pay a visit to Celtic Park on matchday two of this season’s Europa League league phase campaign.
Iheanacho will certainly be primed to play a significant role for the Hoops as they target a first win on the continent this term, having opened their campaign with a hard-fought draw against Red Star Belgrade.
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