Bolton Wanderers boss Steven Schumacher believes Johnny Kenny has the quality to influence the promotion race before returning to Celtic, ready to compete for a regular role.
The 22-year-old striker joined Wanderers on loan until the end of the season earlier this month, seeking consistent minutes after a turbulent campaign in Glasgow. He made his debut at Lincoln City on Saturday and now travels with the squad to face Reading with Bolton pushing to close the gap on the automatic places.
Schumacher has only worked with Kenny for a matter of days, but says the early signs are encouraging.
“He doesn’t strike me as a player who lacks confidence. We have only had him at the training ground for three or four days. We saw on Saturday that he came on and made a really good impact.”
Bolton had previously tried to secure Kenny’s services in the summer, but failed with a bid thought to be around £500,000. He kept the youngster in mind, only to revisit the deal in January when circumstances changed at Celtic.
Schumacher acknowledged the challenges Kenny faced north of the border, with managerial changes and increased competition for places affecting his rhythm.
“When I spoke to him in the summer he seemed a bright lad who understood the game, knew what his strengths are and what he could bring to our team.
“We didn’t managed to get the deal done then but when I spoke to him again in January it didn’t seem he was lacking confidence – it just seems to me that he played in a team at Celtic who have had a difficult season, really. They’ve had three different managers, so that’s not easy as a young player trying to lead the line for such a big club.
European Experience And Long-Term Ambition
Kenny began his senior career with Sligo Rovers in 2021 before earning a five-year move to Celtic in January 2022. Loan spells at Queen’s Park and Shamrock Rovers followed, with the latter proving particularly productive in European competition.
After returning to Celtic in January 2025, he made his senior competitive debut and went on to score his first goal for the club in a 5-1 win at Aberdeen. He later featured prominently in domestic cup fixtures and signed a contract extension running until 2029.
If Schumacher does his job right, he believes the livewire striker can go on and play a big part for the reigning Scottish champions.
“I think he could play for Celtic regularly because he’s that good. He just needs to keep playing and keep getting goals. Hopefully he enjoys his time with us.”
Big move for Kenny
With Bolton’s Championship ambitions finely poised, Kenny’s impact over the coming weeks could prove decisive, both for Wanderers’ season and for his own long-term prospects back in Glasgow. He made an impressive cameo against Lincoln and certainly seems to have the quality and endeavour to be a success.
He’ll be getting big-game atmospheres at Bolton, maybe not quite the same as Parkhead, but still a good experience. It’ll stand him in good stead for a return to the Hoops, hopefully (for him) with goals and assists to his name.
