Iheanacho snubs Celtic, aims for Türkiye

Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has officially completed a surprise move to Turkish club Bursaspor, effectively ending his association with Celtic, Soccernet.ng reports.

The move was a dramatic U-turn by the Nigeria international who signed a three-year contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2029.

The former Manchester City player was on the verge of extending his stay at Celtic when the new offer arrived

The 29-year-old joins Bursaspor as a free agent after his contract with Scottish champions Celtic expired on 30 June. His departure comes despite Celtic’s efforts to keep him in Glasgow, with the Scottish giants reportedly offering him new terms after deciding not to trigger the automatic 12-month extension in his previous contract.

Instead, Iheanacho chose a new challenge in Türkiye after Bursaspor presented a significantly better financial package to convince the Nigeria international to make the move.

Bursaspor officially announced the signing on Friday, unveiling Iheanacho with a creative Odyssey-themed video on the club’s social media platforms. The announcement quickly caught the attention of football fans in both Turkey and Nigeria, as another Super Eagles star prepares to play in the same country as Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, Turkish football’s most valuable player.

The move represents another important chapter in Iheanacho’s career following spells in England, Spain and Scotland. Having played for Manchester City, Leicester City and Sevilla before moving to Celtic, the striker now hopes to become a key figure in Bursaspor’s ambitious rebuilding project.

Although injuries limited his playing time during the 2025-26 season, Iheanacho still made a huge impact whenever Celtic needed him most. He finished the season with nine goals in 24 appearances and earned a reputation as the club’s most reliable match winner from the bench.

The Nigerian scored several crucial late goals, including crucial ones against Motherwell, Dundee and Hibernian as Celtic successfully defended their Scottish Premiership title. His influence became even greater in the final weeks of the season, when he scored five goals in his last eight appearances despite coming off the bench in every game.

One of his most memorable moments came against Motherwell, where he converted a last-minute penalty in a thrilling 3-2 win that took Celtic one step closer to another championship.

He also ended the season in perfect fashion by scoring in Celtic’s 3–1 win over Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Cup Final, helping the Glasgow club complete another domestic double by winning both the Premiership title and Scottish Cup.

Now, Iheanacho joins Bursaspor full of confidence after an exceptional season.