It is remarkable that an unbeaten domestic season so far for Celtic has almost been overlooked, with supporters rightly nearing breaking point amid what appears a simply disastrous summer of transfer business.
Having failed to replace Kyogo Furuhashi in January, the Hoops have since seen Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah depart without securing adequate replacement, with talisman Daizen Maeda also revealing his own desire to leave, albeit while ultimately staying put.
The Scottish champions remain at the top of the tree in the Premiership, yet after reason for encouragement in the Champions League last term, there are few signs that they are kicking on under Brendan Rodgers.
Things, it must be said, have all gone a little bit stale, with intrigue building over just how late arrival Kelechi Iheanacho will fare in his new surroundings, following his free transfer switch from Sevilla.
Rodgers has got a tune out of the Nigerian marksman in the past at Leicester City. Can he do so again in Glasgow?
Iheanacho's record under Rodgers
As already suggested last week, there is an air of Scott Sinclair about this latest deal, with Rodgers getting out the phonebook to reunite with one of his former stars who has fallen on hard times in recent years.
Sinclair went on to flourish in green and white, and hopefully Iheanacho can do the same, albeit with the 28-year-old enduring a difficult few years that yielded just three goals in 11 games during his stop-start stint in Spain, alongside scoring just once in 14 outings for Middlesbrough.
Even more worringly is that the one-time Manchester City striker hasn’t actually broken double figures for league goals since the 2020/21 campaign, as per Transfermarkt, where he netted 12 times for Leicester in the Premier League.
In fact, that is the only time in his senior career that the mercurial left-footer has reached double figures for league goals full stop, with his previous best coming back in 2015/16, where he scored eight top-flight goals at the Etihad.
And yet, for all that concern, if anyone is to get him fit and firing again, it is Rodgers, with Iheanacho having scored 43 goals and registered 25 assists in 143 games under the Northern Irishman to date – by far the best record of his career under any manager.
Scott Sinclair
95
238
Jamie Vardy
70
157
Luis Suarez
61
81
Moussa Dembele
51
94
James Maddison
49
166
James Forrest
46
216
Daizen Maeda
44
94
Kelechi Iheanacho
43
143
Daniel Sturridge
43
70
Still only 28 and “in his peak years”, in the words of the Celtic boss, the 6 foot 1 ace could prove to be a bargain yet for the Premiership side, emulating recent free transfer success stories such as Aaron Mooy and, of course, Kasper Schmeichel.
Iheanacho will be in need of service if he is to shine at Parkhead, however, with Rodgers needing to find a new creative hub in his muted outfit.
Rodgers must now unleash the new Ryan Christie
The best Celtic sides of recent times have been blessed with a difference-maker in that advanced number ten berth, be it Matt O’Riley, Tom Rogic, Ryan Christie or even Kris Commons.
That string of left-footers have all blossomed across the last decade or so, with there perhaps the opportunity there for a certain Luke McCowan to follow in their footsteps, despite having largely played a bit-part role since his switch from Dundee last summer.
Signed for just £1m, the boyhood Celtic fan is yet to truly be given the chance to showcase what he’s all about, having previously recorded 15 goals and assists in his final full season at Dens Park.
47 appearances have since come his way under Rodgers, albeit with only 16 of those actually coming from the start, with the likes of Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and now Benjamin Nygren favoured as part of that midfield trio, alongside the constant pivot of Callum McGregor.
When he has been given an opportunity, however, the Scotsman has typically taken it, chalking up a respectable tally of eight goals and nine assists for the club to date, including the decisive strike off the bench to see off St Mirren on the opening weekend.
Once hailed as the “best midfielder in the league outside the Old Firm” by writer Kai Watson – who also described him as a “creative and tenacious” asset – McCowan is that man who can unlock the door. The man who can create something out of nothing.
Indeed, ex-Celtic star Andy Walker has even made the comparison between the 27-year-old and the aforementioned Christie in the past, having said as much amid his bargain switch last summer:
Signed from Inverness Caledonian Thistle back in 2015, Christie – now of AFC Bournemouth – went on dazzle in green and white, registering 86 goals and assists in just 151 games, operating centrally and off the right flank.
McCowan seemingly has the quality to take on a similar role in this current set-up, with Celtic’s number 14 notably creating nine ‘big chances’ last term in the Premiership, alongside averaging 1.3 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.
Such creative prowess could ensure that McCowan is the man to get the best out of Iheanacho, with the 58-cap Nigerian notably thriving in tandem with ex-Aberdeen star James Maddison at Leicester, after combining for ten goals with the English playmaker, as per Transfermarkt.
Taking on a similar number ten or advanced playmaking berth, McCowan may well be just the solution for both Rodgers and Iheanacho.
Of course, the new man will have to contribute himself, although he certainly can’t do it all on his own.
Edouard 2.0: Celtic dud who was sold for £1.4m is now better than Iheanacho
A forgotten former Celtic striker, who aimed to replicate Odsonne Édouard, has been outscoring Kelechi Ịheanachọ since being sold for £1.4m.
ByBen Gray