Celtic went into the summer transfer window knowing that they would have to bolster their ranks in the centre-forward position after a frustrating 2025/26 campaign.
Whilst the Hoops went on to win the Scottish Premiership title on the final day, Martin O’Neill did not have a single natural number nine who hit double figures for goals.
Daizen Maeda, of course, scored 14 goals in 36 appearances in the division for Celtic, but he split his game time between the right and left flank and the centre-forward role.
That is why the Scottish giants have moved to sign Camilo Duran on a permanent deal from Qarabag for a fee of £6m, but he should not be the only addition in that position.
Why Celtic need to sign another striker after Camilo Duran
The Hoops need another number nine option to complement the Colombian marksman as he has yet to play in Scotland or in a major European league, so it remains to be seen how he will adapt to the Premiership.
Duran did score five goals in ten matches in the Champions League for Qarabag last season, which suggests that he has the quality to thrive in Scotland, but there is still a question mark over how he will adapt until the real action begins next month.
Maeda also only has one year left on his contract at Parkhead and has been linked with a move to the Premier League, and his departure would leave the club without a proven Premiership goalscorer.
The Premiership champions, therefore, need to ensure that Duran has a teammate who is proven in the division and can help him to ease into life as a striker in Glasgow.
With two cup competitions, the league, and the Champions League, Celtic will also need plenty of depth in each position to account for fatigue, suspension, and injuries, which is another reason why they need to sign another striker.
Celtic have held talks to sign new striker
Thankfully, the Scottish giants are already exploring a move for a player who would arrive at the club as the perfect teammate for Duran for next season.
Journalist George Tsarouchas reports that Celtic are interested in a deal to re-sign Kelechi Iheanacho after he left Parkhead at the start of the month when his contract expired.
The reporter claims that the Hoops have already held talks with the Nigeria international about the possibility of a new two-year contract with the Premiership side.
He adds that the centre-forward has already turned down offers from teams in Qatar and Turkey and that a return to Celtic is the most likely option for him at this moment in time.
|
Celtic striker factfile |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Iheanacho |
Duran |
|
Age |
29 |
24 |
|
Career games |
357 |
84 |
|
Career goals |
102 |
24 |
|
Career assists |
51 |
11 |
|
Trophies won |
6 |
0 |
|
Celtic appearances |
24 |
0 |
|
Celtic goals |
9 |
0 |
Iheanacho would be the perfect signing to be Duran’s teammate in the number nine role next season because he is an experienced striker who can help the Colombian star through the campaign.
The 29-year-old star, who performance coach Kwaku Mhemeng hailed for having an “elite mentality”, is vastly more experienced, both in general and in British football, than the former Qarabag attacker.
Iheanacho, who won the Premiership with Celtic last season, knows what it takes to perform and score goals in a Hoops shirt, and could act as a mentor for Duran as he adapts to life in Glasgow and the expecatation that will come with a £6m transfer to Parkhead.
The Nigerian forward has also proven that he is effective off the bench as a goalscorer, which could make him the perfect alternative to the £6m-rated man, as Duran can start and Iheanacho can come off the bench as an impact option.
Four of his five goals in the Premiership came as a substitute in the 2025/26 campaign, whilst he also came off the bench to score in the SFA Cup final against Dunfermline.
This means that signing Iheanacho would not restrict Duran’s game time because the Colombian star would still be primed to start week-in-week-out if he adapts and delivers on a regular basis, as the former Manchester City man is used to coming off the bench.
Bringing the experienced forward back to Parkhead on a new deal would, therefore, be the perfect centre-forward signing to complement their deal for the former Qarabag ace, who would surely love to have a player of Iheanacho’s calibre to train alongside and learn from.
