Celtic fans were quick to snub the idea that Kelechi Iheanacho could offer anything when he was hastily snapped up on deadline day. It is safe to say that he has proved us wrong.
Iheanacho scored a brace off the bench in Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win against St Mirren to book their place in the final.
It is not the first time that the Nigerian has come to the rescue for the Hoops, and his habit of scoring in big moments suggests that we were too quick to judge him.
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Kelechi Iheanacho is a big-moment player for Celtic
Iheanacho signed on a free transfer as a last resort under Brendan Rodgers, but could be the difference between winning silverware or not.
He stepped up to score the winning penalty on his debut against Kilmarnock and also propped up with goals in the Europa League, and now the Scottish Cup.
| Opponent | Competition | Minute of goal(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Kilmarnock | Scottish Premiership | 90+6 |
| Red Star Belgrade | Europa League | 55 |
| Motherwell | Scottish Premiership | 28 |
| Dundee | Scottish Premiership | 82 |
| St Mirren | Scottish Cup | 96,100 |
When the Hoops need a hero, the forward is the most reliable, scoring four of his six goals in the 82nd minute or later.
Not only is he turning up late on, he is delivering match-winning moments that have bailed the Bhoys out and got them into this position.
Renewing Kelechi Iheanacho’s contract is not the worst idea
A proven goalscorer is what the Bhoys desperately need this summer, someone who can score 30 goals a season.
Iheanacho is not the answer to that, but he has proven he can play a part in this squad.
Should Celtic hand Kelechi Iheanacho a new contract?
Fitness is a problem at times but the FA Cup winner has shown that he wants to be here and will work hard for the team.
Renewing his contract for another year to play the impact sub role wouldn’t be the worst idea at all.
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