Celtic eventually secured the league title after a tense finish to the campaign, with Iheanacho delivering crucial goals from the bench in several key matches.
However, Petrov believes the Scottish champions need a more physically reliable and consistent striker if they want to maintain success at the highest level.
Speaking about Celtic’s future squad plans, the former midfielder argued that Iheanacho’s fitness concerns and playing style may not fully suit the demands of a club expected to compete strongly throughout an entire season.
According to Petrov, Celtic require a forward who can remain available consistently and offer greater mobility and physical presence.
“Sorry, no. You need a striker who can compete all season, who is fit all season, who is ready and mobile,” Petrov said during an appearance on The Scottish Football Social Club.
While acknowledging Iheanacho’s impact this season, Petrov maintained that Celtic should target a different type of striker moving forward.
“He has done very well, but for what Celtic represents, they need something different and more powerful. Unfortunately, that is the reality at a big club. I don’t think Iheanacho is the future answer,” he added.
This season, Iheanacho has mostly been used as a substitute by manager Martin O’Neill, with Japanese forward Daizen Maeda often preferred in the starting lineup due to concerns surrounding the Nigerian’s fitness and physical condition.
Despite limited playing time, Iheanacho still produced important moments for the club, especially during the closing weeks of the season.
Reports also revealed that the striker returned to training earlier than expected after Celtic sealed the league title, despite players being given a rest day. The move was seen as an effort to impress the coaching staff ahead of the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic.
Although his first season at Parkhead was affected by recurring injury problems, Iheanacho still managed to emerge as one of Celtic’s most decisive players in crucial matches.
The Nigerian scored five goals in his final eight league appearances, all of them coming from the bench. His goals included dramatic late winners against Dundee and Hibernian, as well as a 99th-minute penalty against Motherwell that proved vital in Celtic’s title race.
Overall, Iheanacho made 13 league appearances, starting only four games and playing a total of 493 minutes.
He scored five goals from 16 shots inside the box, recording a conversion rate of 23 percent. He also created three big chances during the season but failed to register an assist.
Now, after helping Celtic complete a remarkable title comeback, Iheanacho faces an important period as he attempts to convince the club’s management that he deserves a place in their long-term plans.
— Naija Street Matters
