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| Kelechi Iheanacho during his unveiling as a Bursaspor player. |
Kelechi Iheanacho has explained why he turned down a new contract from Celtic to join Turkish club Bursaspor, saying he was fully committed to the move and urged his agent to make it happen.
The 29-year-old Nigerian striker joined Celtic on a one-year deal last September after leaving Sevilla following a loan spell at Middlesbrough. Although the Scottish champions allowed the option to extend his contract to expire, manager Martin O’Neill later revealed the club had still offered Iheanacho fresh terms to remain.
However, the former Super Eagles forward opted to sign for Bursaspor earlier this month as the Turkish side continues its push for consecutive promotions after winning the TFF Second League title last season.
In his first interview since completing the transfer, Iheanacho said Bursaspor’s ambitious plans were the deciding factor behind his decision.
“Bursaspor is a big club in Turkey and I knew they had won the Turkish Super Lig before,” Iheanacho said.
“When I heard about the project—to return to the Super Lig and eventually compete in Europe—I knew it was something I wanted to be part of. I told my agent to do everything possible to make the move happen. My goal is to help the team reach the Super Lig.”
The striker also joked about the resemblance between Bursaspor’s green-and-white colours and Celtic’s famous kit.
“It’s the same green and white, to be fair. I don’t know if it’s déjà vu, as they say in French. Celtic’s green is a bit lighter while Bursaspor’s is darker, but they’re very similar. It feels good.”
Reports in Turkey claimed Iheanacho would earn £47,000 per week at Bursaspor, but club president Enes Celik dismissed the figures, stating the Nigerian will receive £1.2 million annually—about £23,000 per week. Celik added that Iheanacho chose Bursaspor because of the club’s sporting vision despite receiving more lucrative offers elsewhere.
Reflecting on the striker’s departure, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill admitted the transfer did not go according to plan.
“There are two sides to every transfer, just as there are to every story,” O’Neill said.
“I believed we had an agreement with him at the time, but apparently that wasn’t the case, and he’s decided to move on.”