Kelechi Iheanacho is expected to enter discussions over his Celtic future following this weekend’s Scottish Cup final, with the club reportedly keen to retain the striker beyond the current campaign.
The Nigerian forward endured a difficult introduction to life in Glasgow after arriving late in the summer transfer window, but he finished the season in outstanding form and quickly became a fans-favourite.
Iheanacho scored five goals across Celtic’s final eight fixtures, with every contribution coming from the substitutes’ bench, as the Hoops surged to seven consecutive victories and secured the Scottish Premiership title in dramatic fashion.
His current deal is due to expire this summer, although reports from Nigerian publication Punch Sports suggest negotiations over a contract extension are scheduled to take place once the domestic season concludes at Hampden on Saturday.
Celtic are braced for a significant squad rebuild during the off-season, with several senior players expected to depart, making the potential retention of experienced players an important priority for the club.
Iheanacho initially joined the club with little publicity after becoming available outside the transfer window and reuniting with then-manager Brendan Rodgers, with whom he had previously worked at Leicester City.
The striker struggled for opportunities during the first half of the campaign amid fitness concerns and changing managerial approaches.
Between November and March, he started only once and regularly found himself omitted from matchday squads altogether.
However, as the title race intensified, Martin O’Neill increasingly turned to Iheanacho as an impact option from the bench – a role in which he thrived during the closing weeks of the season with big goals at Dens Park, Easter Road and Fir Park.
Celtic’s attacking issues contributed to his resurgence. Winter additions Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu failed to make the expected impact after arriving to strengthen the forward line, opening the door for Iheanacho to establish himself as a key figure in the run-in.
Daizen Maeda frequently operated centrally before shifting wide later in matches to accommodate Iheanacho’s introduction, with both players proving influential in Celtic’s iconic title win.
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