By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho has completed a free transfer to Scottish Premiership champions Celtic, signing a one-year deal to reunite with his former manager Brendan Rodgers.
The 28-year-old Super Eagles star arrives in Glasgow after a turbulent spell marked by injuries and inconsistent form over the last three seasons. Despite the setbacks, his pedigree and experience remain unquestionable.
Iheanacho first rose to prominence at Manchester City, winning the League Cup during his two-year stay before moving to Leicester City, where he made more than 200 appearances and clinched the FA Cup title in 2021 under Rodgers’ guidance.
Following Leicester’s relegation, he joined Sevilla in 2024 but later spent the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Middlesbrough. Last week, he mutually terminated his contract with the Andalusian side before opting to reunite with Rodgers at Celtic Park.
Rodgers, speaking to the club’s official website, welcomed the Nigerian’s arrival: “I know Kelechi so well and what he can bring to the team.
“He is such a talented player, with great ability, athleticism, and work rate. I am sure he will love being at Celtic, and I believe our fans will love what he brings.”
A 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup winner, Iheanacho has earned nearly 60 caps for Nigeria and was part of the squad that finished runners-up at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. His move to Celtic offers a chance for revival at a club competing regularly in Europe.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
