Kelechi Iheanacho hasn’t featured in a Celtic squad since the beginning of this month, but new pictures show promising signs that he could be back in contention for Sunday’s match against Kilmarnock.
The striker’s last start for the club came in the League Cup final against St Mirren on December 14. He was forced off after 35 minutes with a hamstring injury, which subsequently ruled him out for over a month.
He marked his return with a cameo appearance in the 4-2 win over Utrecht. That game sealed Celtic’s spot in the Europa League play-off round, where they face Stuttgart on Thursday.
Though Iheanacho’s return to action was halted. After Utrecht, he came off the bench in the closing stages against Falkirk three days later.
He then didn’t feature in the squad for the wins over Dundee and Livingston, leaving many to question why.
However, new training pictures posted by Celtic show the 29-year-old back in the mix with his teammates.
He’s featured just 12 times so far this season, scoring three and assisting one. Few expected him to set the league alight, given his arrival as a free agent the day after the summer transfer window closed.
It’s good to see another option back fit, but he finds himself further down the pecking order behind new arrivals Tomáš Čvančara and Junior Adamu.
With the games coming thick and fast, he could see himself back on the pitch sooner rather than later. Fail to contribute, however, and his game time could remain limited.
Martin O’Neill’s side head to Ayrshire on Sunday, with the game against Kilmarnock kicking off at 2pm, live on Sky Sports. Iheanacho has fond memories of Rugby Park, as it’s the stadium where he netted a 96th-minute winner on his Hoops debut. That seems a lifetime ago.
