Bursaspor coach Mustafa Er says the Turkish club knew exactly what it wanted when it moved for Kelechi Iheanacho's goals.

Two months after the Nigeria international arrived from Celtic, the decision is already producing extraordinary returns, with Iheanacho scoring 11 goals and providing two assists in his first eight league appearances.

Er said Bursaspor worked extensively to complete the transfer and viewed the former Manchester City, Leicester City and Celtic forward as a player capable of making an immediate difference.

“We got Iheanacho for this reason. We worked very hard for this transfer,” Er said. 

The Bursaspor coach also pushed back against the perception that his club had simply outspent their rivals to secure a high-profile player.

“A few teams paid higher transfer fees and salaries than what we did for Iheanacho,” Er said.

The numbers, however, underline just how influential Iheanacho has become.

The 29-year-old has started all eight of Bursaspor’s league matches and has scored in every one of them, establishing himself as the focal point of the club’s attack.

His most recent contribution came in the 2-1 comeback victory over Batman Petrolspor, when he scored twice, including the 85th-minute winner. The result moved Bursaspor to the top of the Turkish second tier. 

That brace also extended Iheanacho’s scoring streak to eight consecutive league matches.

According to Premium Times, the run has matched the Bursaspor record established by Brazilian striker Fernandao during the 2014/15 Süper Lig campaign. Iheanacho now needs one more consecutive league goal to establish a new club record. 

His immediate impact is particularly notable because Iheanacho arrived in Turkey after a productive season in Scotland.

The Super Eagles forward helped Celtic win the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup during the 2025/26 campaign before leaving the club and signing a three-year contract with Bursaspor. Turkey’s football federation records his Bursaspor contract as running from July 18, 2026 to June 30, 2029. 

Bursaspor had presented the move as part of a broader project aimed at returning the club to Turkey’s top flight. Iheanacho himself said the club’s ambition to climb towards the Süper Lig and eventually compete in Europe was a major reason for choosing the move. 

His goals have helped Bursaspor collect 19 points from their first eight league matches, with six victories and one draw, according to reports following their win over Batman Petrolspor. 

Iheanacho has been recalled to the Super Eagles squad for next month’s friendly against Russia, his first Nigeria call-up in more than a year. His last appearance for the national team came at the 2025 Unity Cup in London. 

His Bursaspor resurgence therefore gives Eric Chelle another attacking option at a time when Nigeria are assessing their forward line ahead of important international assignments.