Martin O’Neill has confirmed what many Celtic fans would’ve already assumed going into this summer:
He wants to bring both Marcelo Saracchi and Kelechi Iheanacho back to the club after their respective contributions last season.
We are now 47 days on from the end of the last campaign, and neither deal has been completed. In fact, neither even looks imminent.
Given the willingness of both players to make the moves has been well-documented, it doesn’t reflect well on the club – especially in the case of Iheanacho.
🤦♂️ Still no sign of an agreement for either of these two Celtic favourites to stay…
The season ended on May 23rd 🗓️
Martin O’Neill has noted the importance of a pre-season for Kelechi Iheanacho
O’Neill said on Iheanacho: “I’d like to do something with him. That’s the point.
“Of course, if we can do something relatively quickly, at least he then gets started in pre-season, which is really important for him.
READ MORE: Celtic face more Marcelo Saracchi competition, but hold two advantages
“It’s something he didn’t have last year. After about three minutes, he was injured against Sturm Graz and he then hurt himself in the League Cup Final as well.
“So that would be nice. I’m definitely pursuing that at this minute.”
If the club can get Iheanacho in before the players returning from the World Cup, then that would be a boost – but the golden window to ensure he gets a full pre-season has been missed.
The club have chosen hardball negotiations over ensuring that O’Neill gets the best version of Iheanacho.
“I’d like to take him back if it’s at all possible because if anything, I jokingly said I would give him a 25-year contract for making the goal [against Hearts]”.
“We have had conversations with his agent at this minute, so we’ll see where that goes.”
Both players have had approaches from elsewhere, but both are holding out for moves to Glasgow as the club move negotiations at a snail’s pace.
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Kelechi Iheanacho’s wait to make an impact at Celtic
Iheanacho was brought in through the back door after the closure of the transfer window as a player with a pre-existing relationship with then-manager Brendan Rodgers.
Through no fault of his own, Iheanacho watched a chaotic first half of the season from the sidelines. From November to March, he started just one game, often not making matchday squads.
Fitness and managerial preferences were the causes of this.
Both Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu were brought in as reinforcements in the winter window, but neither had the desired impact, opening the door for Iheanacho to establish himself under O’Neill.
As Celtic won all of their seven last matches to deliver a Scottish Premiership that had once looked unlikely, Iheanacho played a vital part.
He then topped it off with a goalscoring cameo in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden.
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