Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho has walked away from a fresh contract offer at Celtic and opted instead to join Bursaspor — a club freshly promoted to Turkey's second tier.

Celtic had put a new deal on the table for the 29-year-old after a season in which he played a significant role, despite spending a considerable period sidelined through injury. Bursaspor, who clinched the TFF Second League title last season, confirmed the signing and unveiled Iheanacho in their trademark green-and-white hooped kit.

A difficult summer for Celtic

The departure adds to a challenging transfer window for the Scottish champions. Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson acknowledged just a day earlier that building the squad this summer has been "difficult," citing fierce competition from heavily funded English Championship clubs in the transfer market.

So far, Celtic's only arrival this summer is Colombian striker Camilo Duran, signed from Qarabag for an undisclosed fee. The club faces a shortage of centre-forward options heading into the new campaign, with further uncertainty surrounding Japan international Daizen Maeda, who enters the final year of his contract.

Iheanacho's impact at Celtic

Iheanacho arrived at Celtic Park as a free agent after the summer transfer window closed, having previously played for Manchester City and Leicester City. He went on to score nine goals across the season — a remarkable return given that a hamstring injury wiped out a large portion of his campaign, limiting him to just two starts after October.

Despite those setbacks, the former Nigeria international proved his value as an impact substitute, netting six goals from the bench as Celtic swept through their final nine matches of the season to secure the domestic double.

His decision to drop to Turkey's second division — rather than continue with the reigning Scottish champions — will come as a surprise to many. For Celtic, the search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the new season grows ever more pressing.