Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho’s prospects of extending his stay at Celtic have improved significantly after the Scottish champions handed Martin O’Neill a permanent contract, with the manager who showed considerable faith in the Nigerian striker now firmly in charge of planning for next season.

Iheanacho joined Celtic in September 2025 on a one-year deal after leaving Sevilla as a free agent, and his contract is due to expire on June 30.

Celtic hold the option to extend the agreement by a further 12 months, and a decision is expected as the club finalises its squad for next season’s title defence and European campaign.

The timing of O’Neill’s appointment works strongly in Iheanacho’s favour.

The experienced manager guided Celtic to a domestic double — the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup — and leaned heavily on the Nigerian during the crucial run-in.

Iheanacho scored decisive goals in tight moments throughout the campaign, including a late penalty against Motherwell, a match-winner away to Hibernian and scored a goal in the Scottish Cup final. His ability to influence matches from the bench made him a fan favourite despite limited starting opportunities.

The numbers underline his impact as Iheanacho scored nine goals and added one assist across all competitions in just 489 minutes of Premiership football alone — one of the best goals-per-minute returns in the division.

He struck twice as a substitute in a 6-2 win over St Mirren in April, scored the winner at Hibernian in May, and ended the league season with a goal against Dunfermline, demonstrating a knack for arriving at the right moment.

Iheanacho, now 29, has already begun specialist fitness work ahead of pre-season with the ambition of pushing for a more regular starting role should he remain at Parkhead.

With O’Neill in place and the board now making key squad decisions, the Nigerian’s chances of staying in Glasgow appear stronger than at any point since his arrival.