Celtic made the surprise step of entering the free agent market in the 2025 summer transfer window for a striker after offloading Adam Idah to Swansea City on Deadline Day.

Following a frantic search for a replacement, Brendan Rodgers was able to seal a reunion with Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who joined the club a day after the market period ended following his release from Sevilla.

Rodgers has signed the new Scott Sinclair in "phenomenal" Celtic talent

Celtic could look to the past for inspiration, following the signing of the next Scott Sinclair…

ByRobbie Walls

With the move causing quite a stir among supporters, we’ve taken a look at all of Rodgers’ free agent signings at Celtic Park, ranking each from best to worst across his two spells in the dugout.

11 Kundai Benyu 2017-2020

Kicking off proceedings, Kundai Benyu joined Celtic in 2017 on a free transfer from Ipswich Town, making four first-team appearances ahead of brief loan spells at Oldham Athletic and Helsingborg.

Eventually, he left the Bhoys to sign for Wealdstone United in 2020 before stints in Iceland at Vestri and IBV. The Zimbabwe international now features for Harare-based outfit CAPS United.

10 Youssouf Mulumbu 2018-2019

Becoming a late addition to Rodgers’ midfield in 2018 after Celtic failed to sign John McGinn from Hibernian, Mulumbu never really got going and managed only 155 minutes of competitive football across three appearances.

Previously, he had enjoyed an excellent 2017/18 Scottish Premiership campaign at Kilmarnock and soon returned on loan to Rugby Park before a break clause in his Hoops contract saw him depart in the summer of 2019. Not a transfer that paid off for either party.

9 Ross Doohan 2015-2022, 2025-present

Ross Doohan rejoined Celtic from Aberdeen on a free transfer in the summer of 2025 and finds himself at the lower end of the scale due to not having made a competitive appearance for the club during either spell.

Nevertheless, the Scotland international is a valued presence within the walls of Lennoxtown and has helped ease pressure on the Hoops’ European squad registration powers, making him a smart capture by the Scottish Premiership holders.

8 Callum Osmand 2025-present

Technically, Callum Osmand signed for Celtic in a cross-border compensation deal, but he has been included by virtue of joining after the end of his Fulham contract in summer 2025. Why not make things a little more fun?

The Jersey-born striker represents Wales on the international stage and featured in the Bhoys’ pre-season friendlies against Cork City and Estrela de Amadora.

Ultimately, his place on the list could fluctuate depending on whether he earns minutes over the coming months. He is highly-rated after 55 goal contributions in 73 outings at various youth levels at the Cottagers, though a loan seems like a sensible step to aid his development.

7 Emilio Izaguirre 2018-2019

At the time, many Celtic fans were shocked when Emilio Izaguirre returned to Parkhead in 2018 after leaving the club one year prior to join Al-Fayha. Still, his status as a cult hero among supporters generated a level of excitement.

In the end, the Honduran left-back registered a solitary assist in 19 appearances during his second spell in Glasgow, playing a part in the Bhoys winning a domestic treble.

Frequent injuries and Kieran Tierney’s position as first-choice limited his scope for inclusion. Despite being offered a one-year extension, 33-year-old Izaguirre departed Celtic with 13 winners medals in total for Motagua, where he is now Sporting Director.

6 Kolo Toure 2016-2017

Truthfully, you could argue the toss about whether Izaguirre’s second spell or Kolo Toure’s stint in Glasgow should be higher on the list, but the Ivorian has shaded it due to a key factor that will be explained.

Premier League winner Toure linked up with Rodgers shortly after departing Liverpool and clocked up 17 appearances under the Irishman before calling time on his distinguished career due to injury trouble.

Intriguingly, he then went on to become a part of Celtic’s backroom team as a technical assistant, remaining at Lennoxtown and then leaving to take up a first-team coach role at Leicester City. Supporters loved his infamous chant!

5 Kelechi Iheanacho 2025-present

The man everyone is talking about. Many Celtic supporters may have expected Kelechi Iheanacho to be ranked somewhere else on this list. However, it would be unfair to draw any premature conclusions before he has had a sustained run in the team.

By now, the Bhoys’ failed pursuit of Kasper Dolberg is common knowledge. Their efforts to land the Denmark international proved to be unsuccessful, and he is now back at Ajax, somewhere he feels is a second home.

An almighty scramble ensued before Celtic signed Iheanacho in an out-of-window deal, leaving many fans irate at a transfer strategy that saw the likes of David Datro Fofana and Patrick Bamford contacted over moves to Parkhead with no breakthrough.

Statistically, the Nigeria international is in Glasgow following one goal in 15 appearances during a loan spell at Middlesbrough circa 2024/25. Three strikes in 11 outings across his time in Seville is hardly a convincing tally either, all things considered.

Providing a saving grace, Rodgers has previously worked with Iheanacho and helped him produce some of the best football of his career at Leicester City, including a 19-goal campaign in 2020/21, a level he can hopefully rediscover under his guidance.

4 Scott Bain 2018-2025

Initially arriving on loan from Dundee ahead of a free transfer move to Celtic in the summer of 2018, Scott Bain cemented himself as another likeable figure among supporters and kept an impressive 40 clean sheets across 78 appearances for the Hoops.

Capped three times by Scotland, the long-serving goalkeeper ended his spell in Glasgow with no fewer than 14 medals to his name. He moved to Falkirk during the transfer window and is enjoying life at the Scottish Premiership newcomers.

3 Kasper Schmeichel 2024-present

Kasper Schmeichel is another player who has significant experience working alongside Rodgers, and it is fair to say he has been a major success story at Celtic since arriving on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.

To date, the Denmark international has won the Scottish Premiership and Premier Sports Cup, and it doesn’t seem like he is done there despite being set to turn 39 in November.

Leading from the front, Schmeichel is a shining example of professionalism and his desire to keep showcasing his talents at Celtic is something to be admired.

2 Kieran Tierney 2015-2019, 2025-present

Some of you may be asking, why isn’t Kieran Tierney number one on this list? There is a reason for that, but the end decision has purely come down to the distinction of the fact he has only recently arrived on a free transfer.

Born in Douglas and a stalwart for Scotland under Steve Clarke, the 28-year-old is an icon at Celtic and shot to prominence in a first spell that saw him play a driving role in claiming eight trophies at the club, making 170 appearances in total and delivering eight goals alongside 37 assists.

From then on, Tierney secured a £25 million move from his boyhood club to Arsenal, claiming the FA Cup at the Gunners and earning recognition for his displays. Enjoying a different footballing climate, he also spent time on loan at Real Sociedad.

Now, he is firmly back at Celtic and has slotted in effortlessly under Rodgers after signing a five-year-deal in the summer of 2025.