Celtic swiftly return to motion within the Scottish Premiership after Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Dundee United as they tackle Ross County away from residence on Saturday.
The Hoops secured a snug victory at Parkhead in the course of the week, because of targets from Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate, and are actually 15 factors clear on the prime of the desk.
Brendan Rodgers can be delighted with the efficiency of his workforce domestically this season, while the Scottish giants have additionally solely misplaced as soon as in six Champions League outings.
The Northern Irish boss, nonetheless, is tasked with guaranteeing that his workforce stays constant and enjoys an identical second half of the season, so as to add extra trophies to the cupboard.
Rodgers may use the January switch window, which formally opened for enterprise final week, with a view to do this, by including additional high quality to his squad within the subsequent few weeks.
In reality, the Celtic boss is reportedly wanting to herald a brand new ahead to bolster his choices on the prime finish of the pitch earlier than the deadline at first of subsequent month.
Celtic eyeing new ahead
In line with Italian outlet Il Messaggero, as relayed by Sport Witness, Celtic are all in favour of a deal to signal Lazio winger Gustaf Isaksen in January.
Rodgers is plotting a swoop to signal the 23-year-old ahead after failing to get a transfer over the road to convey him to Parkhead in the summertime switch window.
Celtic reportedly wanted to sign the Danish wizard in the summertime within the final week earlier than the deadline however have been unable to strike a deal for his providers, they usually ended that window with out signing a recognised winger.
This newest report from Il Messaggero claims that the Scottish Premiership champions are actually again in for him once more, while Serie A facet Bologna are additionally eager on the younger ahead, which signifies that they may face competitors for his signature.
The outlet provides that Lazio would favor to promote him on the finish of the 2024/25 marketing campaign however they’re open to cashing in on him in January if a suitable supply arrives on the desk earlier than the tip of the window.
Transfer Focus
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It reveals that the Italian facet have set a price ticket of €15m (£12.5m) for the ahead, though there isn’t a point out of how a lot Celtic or Bologna can be prepared to pay for the left-footed whiz.
While it stays to be seen whether or not or not the Hoops will undergo with an official supply to signal the winger, it will be a good larger deal than the one which introduced Arne Engels to Parkhead in the summertime.
The payment Celtic paid for Arne Engels
The Scottish giants smashed their membership switch report forward of the 2023/24 marketing campaign by paying a reported fee of £11m to signal the central midfielder from Augsburg, to bolster Rodgers’ choices in the course of the park after Matt O’Riley accomplished a transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Celtic had three bids turned down by the Bundesliga facet earlier than they ended up forking out a club-record payment, and it may very well be an identical case with Isaksen – albeit throughout two home windows – after they did not get a deal carried out for him in the summertime.
Engels produced three goals and two assists in 32 appearances within the German top-flight for Augsburg final season, and has elevated his output within the last third throughout his time in Glasgow to date.
|
24/25 Premiership |
Arne Engels |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
18 |
|
Targets |
4 |
|
Massive probabilities created |
5 |
|
Assists |
2 |
|
Key passes per recreation |
1.4 |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, the Belgian expertise has already racked up six objective contributions in 18 Premiership matches this time period, offering a powerful menace on the prime finish of the pitch from a central midfield place.
Celtic will now be hoping that the 21-year-old ace continues to develop and might develop to be price much more than the £11m that they invested in him final yr.
For a payment of £12.5m, Isaksen would arrive in a good larger deal than Engels but additionally as one other participant with time forward of him to develop and develop, while he has proven loads of high quality in his profession already to recommend that he may very well be a star for the Hoops.
Why Celtic ought to signal Gustav Isaksen
Rodgers ought to swoop to signal the spectacular teenager from Lazio as a result of he may very well be Nicolas Kuhn 2.0 as one other extremely gifted left-footed proper winger.
While it might sound odd for Celtic to signal an identical participant to the German whiz after they nonetheless have him on the membership, Isaksen can also play on the left wing or by the center as a centre-forward. He may very well be utilised in all three positions earlier than, probably, taking on from the present star if he strikes on in the summertime.
Kuhn has scored 16 goals in 27 matches in all competitions for the Bhoys this season, reducing in on his left foot from the fitting, and the Lazio gem is a participant with comparable qualities.
The Danish sensation, who was as soon as hailed as “extraordinary” by expertise scout Jacek Kulig, has produced two goals and two assists in 13 league begins for Lazio this time period, after a return of three targets and one help in 12 Serie A begins final season.
His type for FC Midtjylland within the 2022/23 marketing campaign, nonetheless, means that the potential is there for him to make an even bigger impression on the prime finish of the pitch in a workforce that dominates video games and persistently creates large probabilities.
|
22/23 Superliga |
Gustav Isaksen |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
32 |
|
Targets |
18 |
|
Massive probabilities missed |
4 |
|
Key passes per recreation |
1.7 |
|
Assists |
5 |
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Isaksen supplied a daily menace in entrance of objective within the Danish top-flight and proved that he can carry out week-in-week-out in a dominant workforce.
These statistics recommend that Celtic may unearth one other Kuhn-level ahead by signing the £12.5m star, as he may additionally thrive in Rodgers’ workforce and chip in with targets and assists frequently.
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Subsequently, breaking the financial institution to seal a good larger deal than the one which introduced Engels to the membership may very well be price it for the Hoops, whether or not it occurs now or in the summertime.
