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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill surprised by Kelechi Iheanacho's move to Bursaspor
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed surprise over Kelechi Iheanacho's decision to join Turkish club Bursaspor, stating he believed an agreement had been reached for the Nigerian striker to remain with the Scottish champions. Iheanacho, who had an impressive loan spell with Celtic, scoring nine goals and contributing to a domestic double, completed a free transfer to the Turkish second-tier club last week. O'Neill admitted he was taken aback, having been under the impression that Iheanacho had agreed to stay. Negotiations for an extended stay reportedly broke down after Iheanacho's representatives sought a significantly improved deal, believed to be close to £50,000 per week, compared to Celtic's offer of around £12,000 per week with bonuses up to £17,000. Iheanacho ultimately chose Bursaspor, a historic Turkish club, after they swiftly concluded negotiations and presented a long-term sporting project aimed at returning to the Turkish Super Lig.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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