Super Eagles: Why Kelechi Iheanacho is waiting on Celtic despite Turkey offers

Kelechi Iheanacho is prioritising a return to Celtic above all other options this summer, despite having concrete offers on the table from Turkish Süper Lig clubs, Afrik Foot reports.

The 29-year-old’s situation reached a critical juncture as Celtic’s deadline to automatically trigger a second year on his deal passed without action from the club.

Despite that, Football Insider revealed that Iheanacho remains “in limbo” but is giving “priority” to the Hoops over any other destination.

Iheanacho’s contribution last season went well beyond what limited playing time would suggest.

Injuries restricted him to just four league starts across the campaign, yet he still managed five Scottish Premiership goals, including decisive late winners against Hibernian and Motherwell.

He capped the campaign by scoring in the Scottish Cup Final victory over Dunfermline as Celtic completed the domestic double, cementing his status as one of the club’s most recent cult heroes.

Why Iheanacho is waiting on Celtic despite Turkish interest

The clearest reason behind Iheanacho’s patience is the relationship he has built with Celtic over a single, complicated but rewarding season.

Sources have confirmed he enjoyed his time at Parkhead even amid the frustration of limited starts, and his former agent and close friend John Inglis has spoken at length about the genuine affection the striker holds for the club.

“He proved himself with very important goals,” Inglis said. “Kelechi’s just a brilliant finisher in the box.”

The fitness narrative is central to understanding the calculation Iheanacho is making. Inglis revealed that what the striker needs most is a settled pre-season with a club that already understands his medical history and playing style.

“What I do think is vital is that he gets a full pre-season with a team, and if Celtic are to do anything to keep him, then I’d urge them to move quickly,” Inglis continued.

“Kelechi has missed the last couple of pre-seasons, and it’s left him having to play catch-up.”

Starting fresh at a new club, even one offering financial security in Turkey, would mean repeating that same adaptation cycle that has cost him valuable match sharpness in the just-concluded season. Staying at Celtic removes that variable entirely.

There is also a footballing logic specific to Celtic’s current situation that works in Iheanacho’s favour.

Martin O’Neill has been clear that the club intend to add at least one new striker this summer, with Tomas Cvancara having returned to Borussia Mönchengladbach and Daizen Maeda’s future at Parkhead firmly uncertain.

O’Neill is seeking a new target man to address a lack of physicality at the top of the pitch, a need that does not directly compete with Iheanacho’s profile as a clinical, intelligent finisher rather than a physical presence.

That distinction may explain why Iheanacho continues to believe a renewed Celtic contract remains realistic even as the club simultaneously pursues other striking reinforcements; he sees himself as a complementary piece to whatever frontline O’Neill builds, not a like-for-like replacement target.

The Turkish offers represent genuine financial security and the certainty of regular football that Celtic, in their current state of indecision, have not been able to guarantee.