Celtic Complete Shock Transfer For This Former Manchester City Forward: Smart Move Or A Panic Buy? | OneFootball

Despite the fans’ fury and backlash amid the lack of transfer activity, Celtic hit a new low on deadline day when they sanctioned Adam Idah’s move to Swansea City without securing a like-for-like replacement up top. They were forced to explore the free agent market and ended up with Kelechi Iheanacho, who underwent a contract termination with Sevilla after a disastrous stint in Spanish football.

The 28-year-old Nigerian international is a familiar face in the English football circuit, as he spent a decade across Manchester City and Leicester City. The Skyblues roped him in from Taye Academy and eventually sold him to the King Power for £25m following 21 goals in 64 first-team appearances over two seasons.

His Career-best Spell Under Rodgers

Although he contributed to Leicester’s FA Cup-winning 2020-21 season by netting 19 goals in 39 appearances across competitions, the club released him without offering a contract extension. Except for a couple of years under Brendan Rodgers, the Super Eagles striker had an underwhelming tenure in the East Midlands.

MALLORCA, SPAIN – AUGUST 27: Martin Valjent of RCD Mallorca and Kelechi Iheanacho of Sevilla FC compete for the ball during the La Liga match between RCD Mallorca and Sevilla FC at Estadi de Son Moix on August 27, 2024 ,in Mallorca, Spain. (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)

Sevilla snapped him up last summer on a Bosman, but he only found the net three times in 11 outings before being loaned out to Middlesbrough for the second half of the 2024-25 season. The misery continued in the English Championship with just 1 goal in 15 appearances. Still, the Hoops boss, having coached him at Leicester, sanctioned a reunion soon after the window was slammed shut on Monday night.

Rodgers spoke highly of Iheanacho, who is now registered for the Europa League. The officials raced to get his signature over the line before Tuesday’s 11 pm European squad deadline.

A Panic Move For Celtic

However, the management’s incompetence led to the conundrum, as they missed out on Kasper Dolberg, who rejected a Parkhead switch in favour of a return to Ajax. The club had ample time to find a successor to Kyogo Furuhashi since his January departure. Instead, they let Idah part ways, leaving the club with no experienced ‘number 9’.

Celtic are now overcrowded down the flanks, having tied down three wide attackers this summer in Benjamin Nygren, Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha. Yang Hyun-Jun is also there after his move to Birmingham City collapsed in the 11th hour, and Daizen Maeda, who fits in better as a left-winger for his work ethic and flair, would now be converted into a ‘number 9’, at least until the window reopens in January.

Signing Iheanacho on a one-year contract (with a further option for another year) is a desperate move in the wake of strong criticism, and the board must fix this crisis in January by bringing in a marquee forward. Rodgers has to rely on his former apprentice, as well as Maeda, Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny for the time being in the domestic as well as European competitions.