Celtic Summer Departures Shine in New Clubs

Celtic’s summer exiles are wasting no time proving their worth.

Three of the club’s headline departures – Kelechi Iheanacho, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate – all left Glasgow with questions hanging over them. Different circumstances, different reasons, same outcome so far: sharp starts and early vindication.

Iheanacho catches fire in Turkey

No one has hit the ground harder than Iheanacho.

The Nigerian striker has been reborn at Bursaspor, rattling in six goals and supplying two assists in just five league games. He has scored in every single league appearance so far, a run that would turn heads anywhere, never mind at a new club still getting used to him.

This is the version of Iheanacho Celtic thought they were getting – ruthless, confident, decisive. Bursaspor have handed him the keys to their attack and he has responded with the kind of end product that instantly changes the mood around a transfer.

Engels settles after shaky start

Engels’ move to West Ham began with a stumble, but he has quickly found his rhythm.

After a difficult debut, the Belgian has started to show exactly why Celtic were able to command a record fee for a Championship club. He registered an assist in a 4-2 win over Wolves, then followed it up with a complete midfield display in a 3-0 victory against Derby County.

Six chances created. Eight recoveries. Control without fuss, but with purpose.

West Ham supporters have noticed. The online reaction has turned warm, with fans highlighting the touch and vision that made him such a valuable asset in Glasgow. From early doubts to growing belief, Engels is starting to look at home in claret and blue.

Hatate brings spark to Burnley

Reo Hatate’s exit was the surprise of the lot.

Celtic agreed a £6.5m deal plus add-ons with Burnley late in the window, parting with a maverick midfielder who had lit up big occasions in Scotland. There was barely time to process it before he was straight into the starting XI at Turf Moor.

Handed a debut against Bristol City, Hatate wasted little time showing why he had been so highly regarded at Celtic Park. He set up Burnley’s opening goal, threading creativity into a side still trying to find its identity under new boss Nicky Hayen.

Burnley lost the match 2-1, but Hatate’s individual display stood out. Hayen, who had faced him before during Brendan Rodgers’ first season back at Celtic – a 1-1 draw that hinted at Hatate’s quality – was quick to praise his new signing’s impact.

A different kind of Celtic afterlife

Life after Celtic Park can be unforgiving. Players often discover that the aura and structure they left behind are harder to replace than they imagined. The grass, as the saying goes, is not always greener.

This time, early on at least, it looks different.

Iheanacho is scoring for fun. Engels is knitting together a Premier League midfield. Hatate is already shaping Burnley’s attacking play.

For Celtic, it reflects well when those who move on thrive elsewhere. For the three who left under varying degrees of uncertainty, the opening chapters of their new stories suggest they were ready for the leap.

The real question now: can they sustain it when the honeymoon ends and the season starts to bite?