The future of Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho continues to hang in the balance as Celtic bide their time in deciding whether to retain his services ahead of next season, Footynaija.com reports.
Despite enduring a rollercoaster start to his career at Celtic Park due to fitness struggles, Iheanacho finished the season as arguably the Hoops’ most impactful forward, helping them lift both the Premiership and Scottish Cup titles.
The former Leicester City man, who signed as a free agent last summer, penned a one-year deal that included an option to extend for a further year at the discretion of the club and that late season spark has definitely strengthened his case for an extension.
Related Post
While Celtic take their time to ponder their next move, former Scotland international Michael Stewart believes the Glasgow giants will eventually keep Iheanacho on board.
”He wants to stay. The deal is in place, I just think the club have the option,” Stewart said on Premier Sports. “So they can trigger it if they want. It’s not as if they’re going to have to negotiate a deal here. The deal’s already in place; it’s just a question of whether they want to trigger it.”
”I would be very, very surprised if they weren’t [triggering it] because look at the debacle they had this season in terms of not really even having a striker, the window shutting, and then signing Kelechi Iheanacho because they didn’t have anything. So, I think he’s already there, the deal’s already effectively done.”
Stewart also sends Kelechi Iheanacho warning to Celtic
While Stewart believes retaining Iheanacho’s services is the right move, the former Manchester United midfielder also warned Celtic against relying on the injury prone Nigerian international as their main man up front for next season.
”Obviously, I don’t know the ins and outs in terms of the financial package that’s there, but I just think that even if you’re only going to get him as an impact player, then the quality that he has is somebody you would want to have in the squad,” Stewart explained.
”It doesn’t mean that you’re not then going to look to go and try and sign an actual mainstream number nine striker. But to have Iheanacho as an option makes a lot of sense, provided it’s on the basis that you’re still going out to get a main number nine.
‘If the club start to play silly games again and look at it like, ‘Oh no, well we’ve got him, if we can get him fit we’ll be all right,’ that’s dangerous territory they’re slipping into again.”
Given Iheanacho’s impact and contributions during those decisive final weeks of the 2025/2026 season, as well as his desire to continue at Celtic Park, it appears to just a matter of time before the club confirms his extension.
