From touchdown Daizen Maeda, Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate in 2022, to Alistair Johnston in 2023 and to Nicolas Kuhn in 2024, the January window has confirmed a fruitful one for Scottish champions Celtic lately.
Whereas most golf equipment could view the winter market as a difficult one to do enterprise in, the Hoops capitalise on the possibility to strengthen their hand heading into the second half of the marketing campaign, with reinforcements set to be significantly important this time round, ought to they qualify for the following spherical of the Champions League.
According to Sky Sports, that potential development to the knockout stage may see an early reunion with former Parkhead hero, Kieran Tierney, with the potential there for the 27-year-old to signal on mortgage till the top of the season, forward of returning completely in the summertime on a free switch.
Whether or not the Scotland star does return over the approaching weeks, or on the finish of the marketing campaign, it will show an actual coup for Brendan Rodgers‘ aspect, with the rampaging left-back having dazzled in his earlier spell in Glasgow, after chalking up 45 goals and assists in 170 first-team video games, whereas successful a plethora of home honours.
Accidents haven’t been form to the left-back since his 2019 exit from Celtic Park, however few would flip their nostril up at a 2025 homecoming, with the Arsenal man prone to symbolize the right improve on that left flank.
There may really be a totally ‘new look’ left-hand aspect in a way if one other deal is to recover from the road, with the potential for Rodgers to amass his subsequent Scott Sinclair, to fit in forward of Tierney.
Scott Sinclair’s file at Celtic
All of the discuss of late has rightly been centred on Celtic’s wing wizard, Kuhn, with the German sensation – who boasts 27 goals and assists this season – having taken over the attacking mantle from Jota, rising as the brand new talisman in inexperienced and white.
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Dazzling wingers have been a standard theme for the Previous Agency aspect of their illustrious historical past, with one of many extra fashionable success tales having been that of Sinclair, following his arrival again in 2016.
Plucked from Aston Villa after enduring a tough stint at Manchester Metropolis – the place he featured just 19 times – the Englishman was an immediate hit beneath Rodgers in that first season, scoring 25 goals in all competitions as Celtic romped to the treble.
That kind noticed Sinclair – who had performed beneath Rodgers beforehand for Swansea Metropolis – declare the PFA Player of the Year award, whereas the person behind him, Tierney, took dwelling the Younger Participant of the Yr award gong.
Over the following two seasons, the skilled winger would go on to take care of that rampant file, racking up 103 goal involvements in just 167 games. In all, throughout his two spells beneath Rodgers, the now-veteran has netted extra targets for the Northern Irishman than another participant, having scored 95 times in 238 appearances.
The present Bristol Rovers star actually delivered, after which some, after arriving in Glasgow, with the potential there for the same state of affairs to happen if Rodgers is to land one other Villa man this month.
Celtic focusing on the following Scott Sinclair
As was notably reported earlier this week, Celtic are mentioned to have lodged an enquiry to signal rising star, Louie Barry, from Villa Park, with the 21-year-old incomes admiring glances from a raft of golf equipment amid his rampant latest kind within the EFL for Stockport County.
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Barry vs Maeda comparisons – 2024/25 league stats |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stat (*per sport) |
||
|
Video games |
23 |
20 |
|
Targets |
15 |
5 |
|
Assists |
2 |
5 |
|
Large probabilities missed |
6 |
12 |
|
Large probabilities created |
5 |
5 |
|
Key passes* |
1.0 |
1.3 |
|
Cross accuracy* |
81% |
80% |
|
Profitable dribbles* |
2.3 |
0.5 |
|
Possession misplaced* |
10.8x |
10.0x |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore |
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As soon as on the books at Barcelona, the dynamic ahead – who can function by means of the center or on the left flank – has lengthy been touted for stardom, though it hasn’t precisely been a clean trip since then.
In the same mould to Sinclair, who endured quite a few mortgage stints away from Premier League giants Chelsea in his youth, Barry has but to be handed a correct probability at his guardian membership, whereas having beforehand struggled to make an influence throughout numerous short-term strikes.
Mortgage stints at Ipswich City, Swindon City, MK Dons and Salford Metropolis yielded only nine goals, though the final 18 months have been significantly eye-catching, with the teen ripping it up at Stockport in League One and League Two, with 25 targets and 7 assists in simply 46 appearances.
Lauded for his “unbelievable” high quality by Sky Sports pundit Michael Dawson, Barry boasts that pleasant mixture of relentless tempo and a telling finish product, very similar to what Sinclair was capable of showcase at Parkhead.
Whereas there can be the small matter of getting to oust Maeda on that left flank, it will be a very thrilling mixture if the previous England youth worldwide was to affix alongside Tierney, with Barry’s need to chop inside set to be aided by the overlapping prowess of the Celtic academy graduate.
After all, competitors for Barry’s signature will unsurprisingly be fierce, but when Rodgers may trend a brand new Tierney and Sinclair-style partnership down the left flank, then Celtic may effectively be on to a winner.
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