The Nigerian, unfortunately, couldn't seem to stay fit for love nor money, ending the season having started only eight games in all competitions, totalling up just shy of 900 minutes.
Those woes will swiftly be forgotten in club folklore, however, with the 29-year-old securing cult status with his spate of key goals at the tail-end of the campaign, none more so than his nerveless, last-gasp spot-kick at Motherwell.
A mere super-sub or not, the former Sevilla man might well have done enough to secure himself an extension at Parkhead, yet regardless, the club's search for a starting, leading number nine goes on.
Celtic learn price tag for leading centre-forward target
Excluding Daizen Maeda, the highest-scoring striker at the club this season in the Premiership was Iheanacho with just five goals, with the likes of Yamada, Johnny Kenny, Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara all failing to convince across the campaign.
It's been almost 18 months since Kyogo departed, and that void still hasn't been properly filled, the Japanese sensation having hit 85 goals in just 165 games for the club in all competitions.
One man who has been tipped to replace him is Bodo/Glimt's Kasper Hogh, with reports earlier this week indicating that the Glasgow side have revived their interest in the Dane.
As reported by TEAMtalk, however, Hogh isn't the only player under consideration, amid parallel interest in Elche sensation, Alvaro Rodriguez.
According to the report, the former Real Madrid youngster is being viewed as a potential 'long-term asset' for the Scottish champions, having now emerged as a 'leading target'.
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The Hoops have made some sensible signings over the years.
The only sticking point is the price tag, however, with the 21-year-old to command a fee of as much as £13m, thus eclipsing Celtic's current deal for Arne Engels.
Why Alvaro would be such a coup for Celtic
Yamada departed on loan without scoring a single goal. Kenny made his own January exit, having missed ten 'big chances' in the first-half of the season in the league alone.
Celtic strikers - 25/26
Player
Games
Goals
|
Iheanacho
|
24
|
9
|
|
Kenny
|
22
|
6
|
|
Cvancara
|
13
|
2
|
|
Yamada
|
11
|
2
|
|
Adamu
|
6
|
1
|
|
Osmand
|
4
|
2
|
|
Idah
|
4
|
|
Total
84
22
Osmand, hero at the last, missed over five months through injury, with Iheanacho also enduring his own lengthy stint on the sidelines. The less said about Adamu and Cvancara, meanwhile, the better.
A string of forwards have all tried, and failed to live up to the heights that Kyogo achieved, yet none have thus far come anywhere close, or at least not on a consistent basis in Osmand and Iheanacho's case.
That is why, even if it requires a premium fee, an exciting, marquee signing like Alvaro could be the dream, long-awaited solution, the in-demand marksman having shone in his debut season at Elche.
Indeed, after a difficult stint at Getafe last term, which yielded just three goals, the £13m-rated striker kicked on again by scoring seven times in LaLiga, helping to power the club to survival.
That tally, as already noted, was more than any Celtic striker achieved in the Premiership this season, with only Yang Hyun-jun (eight), Maeda (14) and Benjamin Nygren (16) bettering him in that regard.
A tall, elegant left-footed number nine, the Uruguay youth international was notably dubbed "the mini-Haaland" during his time in Madrid, as per talent scout Jacek Kulig.
He may have only made ten appearances for Los Blancos, scoring once, although the Spain-born starlet did net 21 times in 79 games for Real Madrid Castilla, registering a further seven assists.
That ability to operate as a link man, as seen in his assist record, would be another tick against his name, having ended 2025/26 with five LaLiga assists, while creating seven 'big chances'.
Back at Celtic Park, only Maeda (six) and Kieran Tierney (eight) bettered that assist total, again highlighting just what an exciting addition he would be.
He's already caught the eye in one of Europe's top five leagues, yet has plenty of time on his side to progress even further, ensuring he could be someone the Hoops make a significant profit on later down the line.
A truly standout centre-forward has been a long time coming at Celtic, since Kyogo's exit, yet Alvaro, even if he costs a premium, could finally fill the void.
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