They thought they had a deal. They thought he was staying. They were wrong.
Kelechi Iheanacho has walked away from Celtic on a FREE TRANSFER – leaving Parkhead with nothing to show for a player who fired them to a Double.
And Celtic fans are FURIOUS.
They thought they had a deal. They thought he was staying. They were wrong.
Kelechi Iheanacho has walked away from Celtic on a FREE TRANSFER – leaving Parkhead with nothing to show for a player who fired them to a Double.
The Nigerian striker has completed a shock move to Turkish side Bursaspor, just weeks after Celtic believed they had secured his future.
Celtic are set to lose a key player for absolutely nothing this summer, despite reaching an agreement with the club. And it’s a transfer disaster that has left fans asking: what went wrong?
THE AGREEMENT THAT WASN’T
Celtic were confident. They had held talks. They had offered fresh terms. They believed Iheanacho was staying.
Martin O’Neill, the Celtic manager, revealed that the Scottish champions believed they had reached an agreement with the Nigerian striker. The player had been a key part of Celtic’s Double-winning season. He had scored crucial goals. He was a fan favourite.
But something changed.
Iheanacho turned down Celtic’s offer and walked away for nothing.
THE FREE TRANSFER THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED
Iheanacho joined Celtic on a free transfer after the 2025 summer window closed. He had been released by Sevilla and was looking for a new challenge. Celtic gave him that chance.
He repaid them with goals. He helped Celtic win the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish Cup. He scored nine goals in all competitions. He played a crucial role in Celtic’s domestic success.
But when his contract expired on June 30, Celtic had a decision to make. They could activate an automatic 12-month extension. They chose not to.
Instead, they offered him fresh terms. But it was too late.
Bursaspor, a Turkish second-tier club, made their move. Within 24 hours, they had presented Iheanacho with a long-term sporting project centred on returning the former Turkish champions to the Super Lig. The Nigerian striker was convinced. He chose Turkey over Glasgow.
WHAT CELTIC LOST
Iheanacho had been a vital part of Celtic’s Double-winning campaign. Despite a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a significant part of the campaign and restricted him to just two starts after October, the Nigerian still made a valuable contribution.
He scored nine goals in all competitions. He played a key role in Celtic’s title run-in. He was a leader in the dressing room.
But Celtic let him walk away for nothing.
THE REACTION
Celtic fans are furious. One supporter said: “We’ve lost a key player for nothing. This is a disaster.”
Another added: “We thought we had a deal. How did this happen?”
A third fan wrote: “Iheanacho was a hero. He deserved better than this.”
Martin O’Neill was stunned by Iheanacho’s decision. The Celtic manager believed they had reached an agreement. But the player had other ideas.
THE FAREWELL
Iheanacho has since taken to social media to bid an emotional farewell to Celtic.
He expressed his gratitude to the club, his teammates, and the supporters following his move to Bursaspor.
But Celtic fans are left wondering: what if?
What if Celtic had activated the automatic extension? What if they had offered him a better deal? What if they had acted sooner?
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Iheanacho’s exit is just one part of Celtic’s transfer nightmare.
The club have made just one signing this summer – striker Camilo Duran from Qarabag. They have lost several key players, including Daizen Maeda, who has joined Ipswich Town.
The squad is in grave need of quality additions. Reo Hatate is likely to follow Maeda out of the door. Arne Engels is edging towards a summer exit. Greg Taylor is certain to leave.
Celtic are losing players faster than they can replace them.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers are looming. The new season has already begun. The squad is threadbare. And the fans are restless.
Former Celtic captain Paul Lambert has said the club are “nowhere near good enough” without further recruitment. Chris Sutton has been left concerned by Celtic’s lack of intensity in the transfer market.
Celtic need signings. They need quality. They need to act fast.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Kelechi Iheanacho has left Celtic for nothing. The club thought they had a deal. They were wrong.
A key player has walked away for free. A transfer disaster has unfolded before our eyes. And Celtic fans are left wondering: what went wrong?
