Celtic flip their consideration away from the Scottish Premiership this weekend as they put together to host Kilmarnock at Parkhead of their first match within the SFA Cup this season.
The Hoops received the competitors, due to a last-minute aim from Adam Idah, by beating Rangers at Hampden Park on the finish of the 2023/24 marketing campaign, and want to retain their crown.
Brendan Rodgers‘ aspect have, in fact, already received the opposite home cup this time period, beating their Glasgow rivals on penalties on the nationwide stadium within the League Cup ultimate final month.
The Bhoys are additionally 13 points clear on the prime of the Premiership desk and are on the right track to win the Scottish top-flight for the fourth season working.
There’s a lot, subsequently, for Rodgers to be comfortable about with reference to his staff’s efficiency this time period, however that has not stopped him from eager to dip into the market to make additions to his squad.
The January switch window doesn’t shut till the beginning of subsequent month and the Scottish giants are reportedly seeking to bolster their choices within the huge areas earlier than the deadline passes.
Celtic eyeing up new winger
According to the Daily Record, Celtic are one of many golf equipment concerned with a possible swoop for BK Hacken ahead Zeidane Inoussa this month, as they eye up a brand new winger to enhance the squad.
The report claims that French aspect St Etienne are additionally eager on the Swedish teenager and have despatched scouts to observe him in motion in his dwelling nation this season.
It provides that the Hoops have additionally despatched scouts to observe the 22-year-old attacker frequently in current weeks, to gather info on his performances to assist them determine whether or not or to not act upon their curiosity in him.
The Every day Report states that Rodgers has made signing a brand new left-sided ahead a precedence for the January switch window, as he desires competitors for Daizen Maeda and to resolve the uncertainty over Luis Palma’s long-term future at Parkhead.
The outlet claims that Celtic at the moment are contemplating a bid to signal the right-footed whiz to bolster their choices on the prime finish of the pitch, simply as they did final January after they swooped to signal Nicolas Kuhn from Fast Vienna.
It isn’t revealed how a lot Hacken would demand for his or her Sweden U21 worldwide, however the younger gem is valued at €3m (£2.5m) by Transfermarkt, which can assist to offer a ballpark determine with reference to what Celtic might should spend to safe his signature earlier than the top of the window.
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Any left winger arriving at Parkhead this month should compete with Maeda to safe a beginning spot within the staff, so what have they got to compete in opposition to?
Daizen Maeda’s type this season
The Japan worldwide has racked up 14 goals and six assists in 29 appearances in all competitions this season, with six targets and one help coming in three League Cup outings.
Maeda has offered a risk as a scorer and a creator of targets in all competitions for the Scottish giants however his type within the Premiership has been removed from excellent on the left flank.
|
24/25 Premiership |
Daizen Maeda |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
20 |
|
Objectives |
5 |
|
Large possibilities missed |
12 |
|
Large possibilities created |
5 |
|
Assists |
5 |
As you possibly can see within the desk above, the 27-year-old winger has averaged a aim or an help each different sport on common, however his ending has been less-than-impressive.
The Japanese attacker has missed a whopping 12 ‘massive possibilities’ in entrance of aim and solely scored 5 instances within the Premiership, which means that he has not made the a lot of the high quality alternatives that his teammates have created for him frequently.
These statistics recommend that there’s room for the Hoops to discover a participant who may are available in and supply greater than Maeda, notably within the league, within the ultimate third.
Why Celtic ought to signal Inoussa
The Scottish giants ought to swoop to signal Inoussa earlier than the top of the January switch window as a result of he has the potential to be an improve on the Japan worldwide on the left wing, and he could possibly be a dream signing for Kyogo Furuhashi.
Celtic’s quantity eight has produced ten goals in 15 starts within the Premiership this season, which is a strong return, however he has additionally spurned a staggering 17 ‘massive possibilities’ in entrance of aim.
Kyogo isn’t a scientific striker who’s going to attain each probability that comes his manner. Nevertheless, he’s a ahead whose motion constantly places him into nice positions for his teammates to search out him within the ultimate third, which is why he may love enjoying with Inoussa, who has the standard to search out him.
Within the 2023 Allsvenskan, the 22-year-old whiz scored five goals and created 4 ‘massive possibilities’ in ten appearances for Hacken, and he adopted that up with extra robust performances in 2024.
|
Stats |
Inoussa (2024 Allsvenskan) |
Maeda (24/25 Premiership) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
22 |
20 |
|
Objectives |
6 |
5 |
|
Large possibilities missed |
3 |
12 |
|
Large possibilities created |
6 |
5 |
|
Key passes per sport |
1.6 |
1.3 |
|
Dribbles accomplished per sport |
2.0 |
0.5 |
|
Stats through Sofascore |
||
As you possibly can see within the desk above, Inoussa has the potential to come back in as an improve on Maeda by being extra ruthless in entrance of aim as a finisher and by creating possibilities for his teammates extra regularly.
The Sweden U21 worldwide has produced 11 targets and ten ‘massive possibilities’ created in his final 32 league video games for Hacken, while Maeda has managed 11 targets and ten ‘massive possibilities’ created in his final 48 league outings for Celtic.
Due to this fact, Kyogo may benefit from enjoying with Inoussa on the left flank, somewhat than Maeda, as a result of it may lead to extra ‘massive possibilities’ falling his manner within the field.
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Signing the Hacken star would supply the Japanese winger with severe competitors for his place within the aspect and be sure that complacency doesn’t set in throughout the second half of the season, which may additionally assist the membership of their pursuit of extra trophies this time period.
