Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho has hailed Bursaspor’s supporters, describing them as one of the biggest fan groups in Turkiye following his impressive start to life at the Turkish second-tier club.
The former Leicester City striker joined Bursaspor as a free agent after leaving Scottish champions Celtic, and he has hit the ground running in the 2026/27 Turkish 1. Lig season, scoring twice and providing an assist in his first two league appearances. As a result, the 29-year-old has already endeared himself to the Bursa faithful, and he did not hold back when discussing the impact of their backing.
It’s fantastic to play in front of one of the biggest fan groups in Turkiye. As long as we have their support behind us, we won’t easily lose matches in Bursa,” Iheanacho said, as quoted by Fotomac.
Furthermore, Iheanacho believes the strength of that home support could prove decisive as Bursaspor push for a return to the Turkish Super Lig this season. The club, nicknamed the Green Crocodiles, are aiming to secure promotion after slipping into the second tier, and Iheanacho’s early goal involvement has been a welcome boost to those ambitions.
Meanwhile, Iheanacho’s move to Bursaspor followed months of uncertainty over his future at Celtic, where he helped the Scottish giants win the domestic double during the 2025/26 campaign despite battling injuries for parts of the season.
Consequently, when Celtic opted not to extend his contract, the Nigerian forward chose Bursaspor over other suitors, citing the club’s ambition to return to the Super Lig and eventually compete in Europe as a major factor in his decision.
Since then, Iheanacho has settled quickly into his new environment. On his competitive debut, he scored and set up another goal as Bursaspor claimed a 2-0 away victory to open their promotion campaign. Following that display, he has continued to deliver, and his performances have already given Bursaspor supporters a glimpse of what he could offer throughout the season.
Iheanacho’s revival in Turkiye comes at an important time. The striker last featured for Nigeria during the 2025 Unity Cup victory over Jamaica, and with the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers set to begin in September, his early-season form at Bursaspor could put him back on head coach Eric Chelle’s radar. As a result, sustaining this level of performance may go a long way in strengthening his case for a Super Eagles recall.
Iheanacho will now be looking to build on his fast start as Bursaspor continue their push for promotion back to the Super Lig. Meanwhile, his form will be closely monitored by the Super Eagles technical crew ahead of the AFCON 2027 qualifying series, and a continuation of his current goal-scoring form could see him return to Chelle’s plans in the coming months.
