Iheanacho and Saracchi leave Celtic as Nawrocki departs
Kelechi Iheanacho has turned down a new contract with Celtic and joined Bursaspor, the club newly promoted to Turkey’s second tier after winning the TFF Second League last season. On the same day, Marcelo Saracchi admitted defeat in his bid to return to the Scottish champions.
Centre-half Maik Nawrocki ended his three-year spell at Celtic Park. He signed a four-year contract with French Ligue 1 runners-up Lens.
Iheanacho’s departure after a double-winning loan
Celtic had tabled a new offer for the 29-year-old Nigeria striker after he helped them to the domestic double during an injury-affected season. Bursaspor announced the signing and paraded Iheanacho in their own green and white hoops.
The former Manchester City and Leicester City forward hit nine goals for Celtic last season. He joined as a free agent after the summer transfer window closed and arrived from Sevilla in 2025.
Iheanacho missed a chunk of the campaign with a hamstring injury and started only two games after October. He scored six times off the bench as Celtic won their final nine matches to clinch the Scottish league and cup Double.
Saracchi’s farewell
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill had expressed his desire to retain Iheanacho and Saracchi, the 28-year-old left-back who was on loan last season from Boca Juniors. Saracchi instead posted a goodbye message to Celtic fans on Instagram.
“We had an intense, beautiful year together where we achieved so many of our goals,” he said. “My agent and I did absolutely everything within our power to make a return to Glasgow happen. I’m truly gutted I won’t be able to continue at the club at this stage of my career. However, I know our paths will cross again in the future.”
The Uruguayan made 27 appearances for Celtic, though only 10 were starts. Nawrocki exits after a season on loan to Hannover 96 in Germany’s second tier.
Celtic’s thin summer window
The departures come a day after chief executive Michael Nicholson revealed it was proving “difficult” to add to the squad this summer because Celtic are competing with big-spending English Championship clubs for players. Celtic have made just one signing so far, Colombian striker Camilo Duran from Qarabag for an undisclosed fee.
They remain short of centre-forward options before the new season amid uncertainty over Japan international Daizen Maeda, who is entering the final year of his contract.