Celtic legend Peter Grant has sharply criticized his former club's decision to sign Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho, advocating instead for the acquisition of young Scottish striker Kieron Bowie from Hibernian. Grant's comments come amidst a challenging season for Celtic, who currently sit second in the Scottish Premiership, nine points behind high-flying Hearts, a position that could see a non-Celtic-Rangers team clinch the SPL title for the first time since the 1984/85 season. A significant factor in Celtic's struggles has been their goalscoring problem, having netted only 16 goals compared to Hearts' 28.

Celtic had faced a void in their attacking line following the departures of Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in January and Adam Idah in the summer. They ultimately signed Iheanacho as a free agent late in the transfer window. The 29-year-old, who had previously terminated his contract with La Liga side Sevilla, initially made an impact, scoring two goals and providing an assist in his first three appearances. However, his form has since cooled considerably, with only one further goal in his subsequent five matches before a minor injury sidelined him for two weeks, coinciding with a difficult period for the club.

Grant firmly believes that Celtic's scouting department should have identified and pursued Bowie instead of Iheanacho. Speaking on the team's struggles, the former Celtic midfielder argued that the forward line lacks balance, noting that Iheanacho is left-footed, similar to many of the team's other attackers. Grant emphasized the importance of scouting, stating, “I still think there were players here in Scotland that you could have made your team better with. There is no doubt in my mind.” He highlighted Bowie’s attributes, saying, “I would have made a go for Bowie at Hibs. If you are thinking right, I have lost a striker. I am going to pay a few bob for him, because this kid is going to get better. He is strong. He is Scottish, and he can play in the Scottish game. He has proved it. Something like that. You don’t need analytics to tell you this kid could be your goalscorer.”

Statistically, Bowie has registered three goals and one assist in 11 league appearances for Hibernian this season. In comparison, Iheanacho has scored two goals in four fewer appearances for Celtic. The signing of Iheanacho was reportedly sanctioned by Brendan Rodgers due to their previous relationship at Leicester City. With Rodgers having since departed, Iheanacho's career at Celtic could now be at risk, adding another layer of uncertainty to Celtic's season and their controversial transfer decisions.