Kelechi Iheanacho signs with Bursaspor after Celtic exit

Striker Kelechi Iheanacho has signed for Turkish second-tier club Bursaspor, ending a brief but impactful spell with Scottish champions Celtic and concluding the Glasgow club's efforts to re-sign him. The 29-year-old Nigerian international, who joined Celtic as a free agent in September 2025, finalized a three-year deal with Bursaspor, which was officially announced on Friday, July 17, 2026.

Iheanacho departs after helping Celtic secure a domestic league and cup double last season, contributing nine goals in 24 appearances despite a campaign disrupted by a hamstring injury that limited him to just two starts after October. His knack for decisive contributions earned him a reputation as a valuable substitute, with key goals in the Scottish Cup semifinal, the title run-in, and a late strike in the final victory over Dunfermline Athletic.

Celtic had held an option to extend Iheanacho's initial one-year contract but did not activate it before a deadline, allowing the player to become a free agent. Manager Martin O'Neill, who returned to the club after that decision, confirmed this week that the club was actively trying to negotiate a new deal to bring the striker back. O'Neill...