Kelechi Iheanacho: Three reasons Celtic must hand Super Eagles striker a contract extension

Kelechi Iheanacho’s future at Celtic hangs by a thread with just days remaining before his contract expires, and the Scottish champions are yet to put a formal offer on the table, Afrik Foot reports.

The 29-year-old’s situation has grown increasingly uncomfortable in the days leading up to Celtic’s return to pre-season training.

Iheanacho wants to remain in Glasgow and believes his performances last season were enough to earn a new deal, yet Celtic have offered no public indication of their intentions, leaving the striker in limbo.

His representatives explored alternatives in the transfer market, with the emergence of interest from Brazilian club Vasco da Gama before the Rio de Janeiro side declined to pursue the move.

What Mulgrew and others said about Iheanacho’s Celtic future

Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew was unambiguous in his assessment of Kelechi Iheanacho’s contract situation.

“I don’t know if Kelechi Iheanacho has triggered his contract or his extension yet,” Mulgrew said in quotes revealed by the Daily Record.

“That’ll be something I would be looking to keep and then bring another couple.

“There’s no doubt about it, for a few seasons now there’s been a striker needed.

“Celtic need to bring a striker in, two, maybe three. I think that’s what Martin’s main thing would be.”

Tomas Cvancara has returned to Borussia Mönchengladbach after his loan spell ended. Daizen Maeda, who stepped up as a makeshift striker during the run-in, is expected to leave with a year remaining on his contract.

Arne Engels is another likely departure after Nottingham Forest are set to return with an improved offer following a rejected £25 million bid in January. Celtic are running thin in attack, and their decision to hold back on renewing Iheanacho’s contract is nothing short of bizarre.

Three reasons Celtic must hand Iheanacho a contract extension

The first one is that the club need a striker. Celtic are preparing for a Scottish Premiership title defence and a European campaign simultaneously, and they currently have no fit, available striker under contract beyond June 30.

Coach Martin O’Neill cannot afford to enter pre-season with that void unfilled, and in a transfer market where proven goal scorers command premium fees and lengthy negotiations, retaining Iheanacho on a new deal seems like the logical decision to make.

The second reason is the value that the former Manchester City striker provides in random moments in the middle of a game, providing brilliant moments when the Hoops needed goals.

His contribution last season, six goals in nine substitute appearances during the run-in, kept Celtic’s title charge alive.

The third reason is what his departure would signal to the locker room and the fanbase at the wrong moment. Celtic’s board are already under severe pressure from supporters frustrated by a summer of outgoings without any incomings.

Allowing a cult hero to walk out the door without a formal offer would be a deeply damaging statement of intent from a hierarchy already struggling to maintain credibility.

Iheanacho’s renewal would cost a fraction of what replacing him would demand on the open market, and it would send a message that Celtic are building stability, not starting from scratch.

The decision, ultimately, rests with Celtic. The arguments for keeping Iheanacho are clear, the need is urgent, and the clock is running down. For a striker who believes he has done enough to earn another year at Parkhead, the wait for an answer that should have come weeks ago grows more uncomfortable by the day.