Celtic have work to do in the transfer window due to…
Nicolas Kuhn is to date the only arrival at Parkhead this month in a quiet window across the board, with many sides across the country prepared to wait until the end of January to do business. The former Germany Under-20 international is in line for his debut this weekend when the Bhoys take on Ross County at Parkhead. Rodgers clearly has a squad capable of competing for the title; nevertheless, fans will be desperate for one or two additions to provide an edge in the hunt for the league crown.
Transfer rumours involving Celtic have been few and far between, though a small clutch of potential target’s names seem to have persisted throughout the duration of this window. Nine days remain in to secure new arrivals and fans will hope the club have a trick up their sleeve to provide some late excitement following a quiet market period Pundit Tam McManus has offered up his assessment of the Hoops’ transfer needs in the remainder of the window, claiming that they could benefit from a left-back, striker and midfield enforcer arriving before the close of play. McManus told PLZ Soccer: “I think it gives the whole place a boost if they get new signings in. I think they need a left-back.
“I think they need someone in there to give Greg Taylor a run for his money. I think they need another striker. We have gone back and forth with Oh, I think he is a a handy back-up. I think they need a number nine in there to either play alongside him or be strong back-up. “That is the two areas and possibly a number six. A sitting midfield player that can put his foot in, physical. Two or three. I think they will sign a couple of players and that is the three areas for me.” “I think they need someone in there to give Greg Taylor a run for his money. I think they need another striker. We have gone back and forth with Oh, I think he is a a handy back-up. I think they need a number nine in there to either play alongside him or be strong back-up. “That is the two areas and possibly a number six. A sitting midfield player that can put his foot in, physical. Two or three. I think they will sign a couple of players and that is the three areas for me.”
Greg Taylor is the only real competitor for the starting left-back slot at this moment in time, with the club reportedly open to offers for Alexandro Bernabei [Anthony Joseph]. Estoril full-back Tiago Araujo’s name has done the rounds this window, though it is unclear whether the the Hoops will revisit a move for the 22-year-old after any notion of a swoop for Liverpool’s Owen Beck collapsed. The striking position is another area in need of reinforcements due to Hyeongyu Oh and Daizen Maeda’s involvement at the AFC Asian Cup. Bologna forward Sydney van Hooijdonk has been persistently linked with a dramatic Parkhead arrival that would see him follow in the footsteps father Pierre. Ho-yeon Jeong has held talks over swapping Gwangju FC for the Scottish Premiership champions and there is a ‘good chance’ that negotiations could progress before the end of the window, which could provide another deep-lying option in the engine room
