Iheanacho: Could Celtic move see Super Eagles star become free again?

Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho continues to dominate headlines amid uncertainty surrounding his future at Celtic ahead of the summer transfer window, Afrik-Foot reports.

The former Manchester City striker joined the Hoops last summer on a one-year deal following his departure from Sevilla, where he spent just one season before leaving after an underwhelming spell.

It initially appeared that Iheanacho would once again spend only a year at his new club after a series of injury setbacks threatened to derail his time in Scotland. The Nigerian forward missed pre-season actions and was also absent for major part of the season due to fitness concerns.

However, the 29-year-old returned at a crucial stage of the campaign and enjoyed an impressive run of form in the closing weeks of the season. He scored six goals in his final nine appearances and played a key role in helping Celtic secure a domestic league and cup double, reigniting talks of a possible contract extension.

Celtic plot summer move for Elias Filet

According to reports from GIVEMESPORT, Scottish champions Celtic have emerged as frontrunners to sign Swiss forward Elias Filet from Aarau as the summer transfer window approaches.

The Hoops were relatively quiet in the transfer market last summer but are now looking to strengthen significantly ahead of next season as they aim to maintain their dominance domestically and improve their performances in Europe.

Filet, who has emerged as their top option in attack, enjoyed an outstanding campaign in Switzerland, scoring 22 goals for Aarau as they narrowly missed out on promotion to the top flight after losing in the play-off final.

The 24-year-old is valued at around €600,000 according to Transfermarkt, but Celtic could face stiff competition for his signature. French side Lorient and Belgian club Genk are also reportedly interested, setting up a potential three-way battle for the forward.

What this means for Iheanacho

Celtic are moving aggressively in the transfer market as they prepare for next season, and the arrival of Filet would provide additional depth in the centre-forward position.

The situation is further complicated by uncertainty surrounding the future of first-choice striker Daizen Maeda. The Japanese forward has previously expressed a desire to play in the Premier League, and with his contract set to expire next summer, the likes of Fulham and Leeds United monitoring his situation.

Should Maeda leave, Celtic would be reluctant to allow Iheanacho leave as well in order to avoid losing two experienced forwards in the same transfer window and would have to hand him an extension.

However, if Maeda remains at the club, it could signal the end of Iheanacho’s spell at Celtic. In that scenario, Filet would become the backup in attack and would make the Nigerian forward surplus to requirements.

The Super Eagles star’s strong finish to the season has fuelled suggestions that Celtic could trigger an option to extend his contract by a further year, but the Scottish champions are concerned over his fitness record and availability throughout the campaign.

With no concrete talks over an extension for now, Iheanacho’s time at Celtic may be drawing to a close. If no agreement is reached, he will become a free agent once again this summer and begin searching for the next chapter of his career.