Kelechi Iheanacho could hardly have asked for a better start to his new chapter in Turkey, scoring and providing an assist as Bursaspor opened their 2026/27 campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Bodrum on Sunday.
The Super Eagles forward wasted little time showing his new club what he can offer, opening the scoring in the 27th minute before turning provider for Bursaspor’s second goal just before half-time.
It was an immediate reward for the Turkish side after completing Iheanacho’s signing on a free transfer in July, bringing an end to months of uncertainty surrounding the 29-year-old’s next destination.
Iheanacho arrived at Bursaspor after an encouraging loan spell at Celtic last season, where he overcame a number of injury setbacks to score nine goals and contribute to a domestic double.
His performances prompted Celtic to explore the possibility of extending his stay, but negotiations ultimately failed to produce an agreement, allowing Bursaspor to secure his services on a three-year contract.
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The Nigerian striker’s first competitive appearance for the club suggested he could become an important figure in their promotion campaign.
Bursaspor are targeting a return to the Turkish Super Lig, and Sunday’s victory gave them an ideal beginning to that pursuit. The three points placed them second in the early second-tier standings.
For Iheanacho, the move represents another opportunity to rebuild his career after a period of uncertainty.
The former Leicester City forward has already made clear that Bursaspor’s ambitions played a major role in his decision to join the club. Their plan to climb back into the topflight and eventually compete in European football appealed to him.
“When I heard about their project, that they wanted to climb up to the Super Lig and also play in Europe, I said this is a big project and it’s very good for me to come and be involved and help the team,” Iheanacho said on Bursaspor’s official YouTube channel.
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Rather than focusing primarily on his individual numbers, Iheanacho wants promotion to be the central objective.
“We know what we want as a team. Collectively as a team, hopefully we achieve promotion — that is our main target before the individual target of a player,” he said.
He was even more direct when describing his personal target for the season.
“My target is for us to go to the Super Lig.”
His debut has now provided an early indication of how seriously he intends to pursue that objective, with a goal, an assist and three points giving Bursaspor an encouraging opening to the campaign.
