“Burning Desire” – Celtic Loanee Opens Door to Parkhead Return

Johnny Kenny has opened up on his Celtic future while continuing to impress during his loan spell at Bolton Wanderers, making it clear he has unfinished business at Parkhead.

The Irish striker, who left Celtic in January in search of regular football, has found form in England’s third tier, scoring consistently and playing a key role in Bolton’s push for promotion. His recent run has only strengthened the case for a potential return to the fold this summer, particularly given Celtic’s ongoing struggles to find a reliable focal point in attack.

Speaking while on loan, Kenny made it clear his focus is split between immediate targets at Bolton and a longer-term ambition to make his mark again at Celtic.

He said: (TCW), “I fully believe Celtic have the winners in the dressing room and have the winners in the dug-out.

“But I don’t want to look too far ahead. I’d love to get promoted here and win up there for a perfect season.

“For now, I just want to score goals and get this club back to the Championship and then hopefully in the summer go back in with a burning desire to pick up where I left off.”

Kenny’s departure earlier in the season came after a sudden shift in his role. Despite a promising start to the campaign, where he featured regularly and chipped in with goals, a dip in form saw him drop out of the side before eventually heading out on loan.

Reflecting on that period, the striker admitted how quickly things changed.

He added: “At the end of August when we signed a striker on deadline day, I thought I was going to struggle for minutes but I got opportunities and I’ve done pretty well.

“I’ve scored goals for Celtic, I’ve scored in a Glasgow derby.

“I played a lot, started a lot of games and then just two or three games of not being clinical, ruthless in front of goals, it changed and I came down here to Bolton and I think I started life pretty well.”

Since making the move, Kenny has embraced the challenge, showing a clear determination to prove himself.

“I’m thoroughly enjoying the challenge and it’s time to step up. We need to put the work in so we get to the opportunity of the play-offs and then in a play-off, I’d fancy ourselves against anyone.

“That was my desire. I wasn’t coming down here just to relax. I just wanted to come here to work and to apply my trade the best way possible because I know if I do that, we can get the results we want.”

Kenny also spoke about the broader experience of the season, describing it as one of growth despite the twists along the way.

“It’s been a whirlwind, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.

“It’s probably one of the weirdest seasons of my career but I would say, one of the best for the learnings and the experiences.”

With his contract running until 2029, Celtic retain full control over Kenny’s future. His current form at Bolton, combined with uncertainty around the striker position at Parkhead, places him firmly back into the conversation ahead of what could be a significant summer for the club.

That decision is made more significant by the struggles of Celtic’s current forward options. With neither Junior Adamu nor Tomáš Čvančara making a consistent impact, and Kelechi Iheanacho only recently finding form, there is a clear opening for a striker to step in and stake a claim. Kenny’s momentum at Bolton comes at a time when that opportunity could be there for him.