Celtic attacker set to leave club to join Bolton Wanderers | OneFootball

Johnny Kenny is set to make the move to Bolton on loan from the Scottish champions

Bolton Wanderers are set to bolster their frontline ahead of the 7pm deadline with the loan addition of Celtic's Johnny Kenny.

There have been plenty of exciting attacking additions at the Toughsheet Stadium this January, but the likes of Ruben Rodrigues, Rob Apter and Corey Blackett-Taylor are better suited out wide or behind the striker, and the Trotters still have a desire to bring in an out-and-out centre forward.

David Sneyd, via X, has reported that the 22-year-old Celtic striker is set to come in on loan to help fill that gap.

Kenny, a product of the Sligo Rovers academy, has been prolific in the League of Ireland during loan spells at Shamrock Rovers from Celtic, but at his parent club, he has yet to be allowed to make an impact. That being said, in just eight SPL starts this season, the 22-year-old has four goals.

After an electric start from Mason Burstow, goals have been an issue in the striker position at Bolton, and with Kenny's arrival, Steven Schumacher will be hoping that this can be resolved.

Bolton Wanderers close in on Johnny Kenny

Steven Schumacher has said that bringing in a striker was always going to be a priority on deadline day, especially following the news that Marcus Forss had gone down with an injury.

Bolton have scored at least 10 goals fewer than the two sides directly above them in the automatic promotion places, making it clear that, if the Trotters are going to wind up in the top two by the end of the season, they need a prolific line-leader.

And, according to The 42 journalist, David Sneyd, Schumacher's calls for a striker have seen Bolton turn to Celtic frontman Kenny.

The 22-year-old has been in-and-out of the Celtic squad during what has been a rather tumultuous campaign for the Scottish Champions, with Martin O'Neil now in his second interim spell as manager following the sacking of Wilfried Nancy after just a month in the job.

Because of this, runs in the side have been sporadic, with Kenny making just eight SPL starts all season. Despite this, he has found the back of the net four times, including a brace in a 4-0 win over Falkirk in October, and has added two assists to those goals as well.

The one-time Ireland international's only league start in 2026 was in the 3-1 defeat in the Old Firm Derby against Rangers - Nancy's last match - and he's been left out of the last two league squads as a move away intensifies.

Bolton Wanderers will be happy with Johnny Kenny addition, but will hope for more on deadline day

Kenny is an exciting prospect and has shown glimpses of being a solid line-leader at Celtic. There's every possibility that he could be the man for Steven Schumacher, but there'll be some hope among Bolton fans that there'll be another striker coming in as well.

Ryan Hardie has been the name on the lips of many at the Toughsheet Stadium, having netted in double digits in each of his last two League One campaigns with Plymouth Argyle, and then continuing scoring at that rate while the Pilgrims were in the Championship.

It's almost an inevitability that he'll be on the move after hardly getting a look-in at Wrexham this season, and Bolton are set to fend off a late hijack from Huddersfield Town for his services, according to an exclusive FLW report earlier today.

With Mason Burstow scoreless from open play since October, and Sam Dalby, an apt squad player, having to start more games than expected recently, a new striker is clearly needed.