Kelechi Iheanacho: Nigeria striker joins Bursaspor on free transfer from Celtic

Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho has joined Turkish side Bursaspor on a free transfer from Celtic. The 29-year-old centre-forward moves to the 1. Lig club after a title-winning spell in Scotland and signs as a permanent addition to the squad.

Iheanacho arrives in Turkiye with extensive experience across Europe’s major competitions. A left-footed striker standing at 1.85m, he has made 196 Premier League appearances in his career, scoring 42 goals and providing 27 assists, and has further Bundesliga-style top-flight experience from his time in LaLiga and European tournaments.

The move ends his stint at Celtic, where he played a part in a successful 2025-26 campaign that brought both the Scottish Premiership title and Scottish Cup. He had joined the Glasgow club the previous season from Sevilla, also on a free transfer, after a loan spell at Middlesbrough in the Championship.

Earlier in his career, Iheanacho built his reputation in England with Manchester City and Leicester City. He moved from City to Leicester in 2017 and went on to win the FA Cup in 2021 and the Community Shield the following season, as well as helping Leicester claim the Championship title in 2023-24.

On the international stage, Iheanacho first came to prominence with Nigeria’s Under-17s, winning the Under-17 World Cup in 2013 and being named best young player at the tournament. His current move sees him join Bursaspor with a market value of around €3m.

Iheanacho’s transfer was completed on 17 July 2026 as a free transfer from Celtic to Bursaspor.