Why Super Eagles star Iheanacho could reject Celtic’s new contract offer

Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho’s future remains uncertain ahead of the new season, with fresh questions surrounding where he will play his club football, Afrik-Foot reports.

Iheanacho has become one of the most talked about Nigerian players in the transfer market after his contract with Scottish champions Celtic expired at the end of last month.

The 29-year-old joined Celtic on a free transfer from Sevilla last summer but endured a difficult first season because of injuries.

Despite his fitness struggles, the Nigerian forward finished the campaign strongly with a string of impressive performances that put him in contention for a new contract after initial concerns over his condition.

Super Eagles and Celtic forward Kelechi Iheanacho. Copyright: xJamiexJohnstonxIMAGO

Although his deal has now expired, Celtic are still exploring the possibility of extending his stay. The Scottish champions are keen to hand the Super Eagles striker a new contract and keep him at the club beyond this summer.

Iheanacho: Key reason Super Eagles star could leave Celtic despite contract talks

While resigning an extension at Celtic is still a realistic option, Iheanacho could decide to continue his career elsewhere.

The former Leicester City forward has attracted interest from Turkish side Bursaspor as well as clubs in the Saudi Pro League, giving him other options to consider this summer.

Kelechi Iheanacho. Copyright: ImagoxJamiexJohnston

Reports from Scotland suggest the Super Eagles forward could now be leaning towards a move away from Celtic because of the lucrative offers arriving from the Middle East.

Although Iheanacho is open to staying with Celtic, the financial packages being offered by clubs in Saudi Arabia are difficult to ignore.

At 29, the striker has reached a stage in his career where securing his long term future is becoming increasingly important. A move to the Middle East would provide him with a significantly more rewarding contract than Celtic are likely to offer, allowing him to maximise his earnings before retirement.

Away from the transfer speculation, Iheanacho has been training individually to improve his fitness after last season’s injury setbacks. The Super Eagles forward is determined to return in the best possible condition and avoid the problems that disrupted his campaign.

Kelechi Iheanacho. Copyright: ImagoxJamiexJohnstonx

The final decision rests with Iheanacho and he is expected to reveal his next move before pre-season gets fully underway, which would allow him to settle quickly at his next club and prepare properly for the new season.

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Ayomide Oguntimehin

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Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and Editor at Soccernet.ng & Afrik Foot. Ayomide has worked with Sports Brief, Naija News and served as Social Lead Editor at Legit.ng. He has also featured on Goal, TVC News, Sports Mole, Topmercato, and Milan News24, among others. He holds a master’s degree and is currently pursuing a PhD. Follow Ayomide on X: @ayo_oguntimehin.