Martin O’Neill has specific Celtic role planned for Kelechi Iheanacho as agreement nears
Martin O'Neill wants Kelechi Iheanacho to continue featuring regularly from the bench for Celtic next season as talks progress over a new contract, sources have told Football Insider.
The Celtic manager has made it clear that he wants Iheanacho to sign a new contract after his initial deal expired at the end of June.
He shone as a rotation option for the Hoops last season after arriving on a free transfer in September, with numerous key strikes to help them seal a league and cup double.
Celtic have entered talks with his representatives over another one-year deal, but there is still progress to be made to come to a full agreement.
Iheanacho is keen to stay at Parkhead, but as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, he will not be in line for more regular starts under O'Neill next term.
Some doubts remain around his fitness and suitability for starting matches, after he was only named in the first eleven on four occasions in the Premiership last season.
Kelechi Iheanacho to remain a rotation option for Celtic if contract is agreed
The Hoops recently bolstered their forward line by signing Qarabag striker Camilo Duran, who scored 15 goals in 45 appearances last season, including five in 10 Champions League games.
Iheanacho would likely be behind him in O'Neill's attacking pecking order, with his contract now a priority after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain penned fresh terms last week.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "He was basically an impact player off the bench for Celtic last season. I don't think his role would probably change too much if he were to extend at Celtic Park.
"They've just extended Oxlade-Chamberlain's contract, so I think O'Neill would like to see Iheanacho sign a new deal as well. They've signed Duran as a new striker from Qarabag, but they will want options and cover for him.
"There's a willingness from O'Neill to get a deal done, and I think Iheanacho would also be very much interested in returning to Celtic as well. There's a lot of optimism that this deal can get over the line."
What has O'Neill said about re-signing Iheanacho?
Sources have told Football Insider that Daizen Maeda will leave Celtic this summer, and so agreeing another deal with Iheanacho is clearly important for the club to keep some proven firepower in the final third.
O'Neill spoke to the media earlier this week about his hopes of agreeing a deal with Iheanacho, saying: "I'd like to do something with him. If we can do something relatively quickly, at least he then gets started in pre-season, which is really important for him. It's something he didn't have last year.
"So that would be nice. I'm definitely pursuing that at this minute. He won't be in Portugal with us, but we are talking to his agent now at this moment. I would like to have him."