Iheanacho: Why Celtic’s move for Duran could spell the end for Super Eagles star

Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho could learn his fate at Celtic in the coming days amid growing uncertainty over his future at the club, Afrik-Foot reports.

Iheanacho’s future has been unclear since the end of last season, with questions over where he will play in the coming campaign. His current contract is set to expire at the end of the month, which would see him become a free agent if Celtic decide against keeping him.

The 29-year-old joined the Hoops on a one-year-deal last summer after leaving Sevilla, with the Scottish champions holding the option to extend for another season. However, injuries disrupted much of his campaign and threatened to derail his time at Celtic Park.

Despite those setbacks, Iheanacho played an important role during the closing stages of the season. He scored crucial goals for Celtic as they completed a domestic double, winning the league title before defeating Dunfermline Athletic to lift the Scottish Cup.

However, a major decision over his future could now be made soon, especially with Celtic looking to strengthen their attack ahead of next season.

Celtic eye move for Camilo Duran

According to the Scottish Sun, Celtic are considering a move for Colombian forward Camilo Duran as they look to strengthen their attacking options ahead of next season.

The Hoops are expected to strengthen significantly ahead of next season as they aim to make a stronger impact in Europe while also maintaining their dominance domestically, as they will be targeting a sixth consecutive league title next term.

Duran has emerged as one of the players on their radar following an impressive campaign with Qarabag in the Azerbaijan league. The Colombian forward scored 15 goals for the club, with five of those coming in the Champions League against the likes of Ajax Amsterdam, Eintracht Frankfurt, Benfica and Newcastle United. 

Celtic have also explored a move for Elias Filet, and their recent interest in Duran shows their strong intention to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

Qarabag are reportedly willing to let Duran leave for around £2 million, which should be affordable for Celtic and personal terms are also not expected to be a major obstacle, which could make a deal easier to complete.

What does Duran’s potential arrival mean for Iheanacho?

Iheanacho has expressed his desire to remain at Celtic beyond this summer after an encouraging end to the season as he looks to improve on his performances and establish himself as a more consistent option next term.

However, concerns remain over his fitness and availability across a full season, which is why Celtic are carefully weighing up their decision.

While Iheanacho made only 24 appearances throughout the campaign, Duran featured 43 times for Qarabag and produced better numbers over the course of the season which has made him an attractive option for Celtic.

The Colombian forward’s five Champions League goals could also be very appealing to Celtic, who are preparing to return to the competition next season and his arrival would provide them with another proven attacking option at European level.

If Celtic complete a move for Duran, it would increase competition in the centre forward role and could force them to sacrifice one of their current options. With Iheanacho’s contract set to expire in the coming days, he could be the player most likely to leave.

Celtic have a major decision to make over the Nigerian forward, and while no final call has been made, their interest in Duran could be a worrying sign for Iheanacho’s future at Celtic Park.