'Monetise operation': Celtic's squad overhaul project given encouragement as agent breaks cover
Celtic face some big decisions in the summer transfer market.
While Celtic must channel the bulk of their efforts into defending their Scottish Premiership crown over the next seven weeks, the expected overhaul of the playing squad in the summer transfer window is also starting to appear in their rear-view mirror.
The dismal 2-0 defeat to Dundee United at the weekend left Martin O’Neill’s men five points behind Hearts with just seven games to go in the Premiership, and there’s an increasing sense of doom around the club that this may be the year they surrender their crown as the country’s side come mid-May.
And even if they can do what no other team has done and become the first side in Scottish football history to win the title despite registering eight defeats, the club is expected to make wholesale changes to personnel during the summer.
With O’Neill expected to vacate his position in the summer, Celtic require a new manager, chairman and director of football ahead of next season, and regardless of the outcome of the title race, the squad also needs some serious remodelling.
While fans have demanded the permanent signing of cult-hero Julian Araujo and the purchase of a net-busting new striker, it feels increasingly clear that the Hoops must also prioritise additions on the flanks.
Celtic have an abundance of options out wide, but on closer inspection, many of them are facing uncertain futures in the east end of Glasgow, while others have simply not done enough to warrant a place in the squad going forward. At the top of that list is Daizen Maeda. So often talismanic for Celtic, he’s been a shadow of himself this season.
Maeda future
Seemingly unsettled by a broken-down move to the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg last year, the energetic forward has been used in the central striking role this term, but has managed just eight goals compared to his 33 last season. The Scottish Premiership Player of the Year last season, he was linked with a £25million move to English Premier League side Brentford last July, but his reputation has taken a hit after a lukewarm season.
As he enters the final year of his contract this summer, Celtic may decide now is the time to cash in on a player who has become somewhat of a dimmed light in recent months. Fan favourite Jota has missed the entirety of the campaign with an ACL injury, while club legend James Forrest is now 34 and out of contract in June.
Yang Hyun-Jun has enjoyed his best season to date at Parkhead, but there’s a simmering feeling that he isn’t the answer to Celtic’s problems long-term, meaning Birmingham City could reignite their interest in the South Korean. As for Michel-Ange Balikwisha and loanee Joel Mvuka, they simply don’t look up to standard. If they remain at the club beyond this season, it’ll be a surprise.
Sebastian Tounekti arrived from Hammarby in January and has shown some flashes of ability in spells. His introduction off the bench sparked an impressive second-half comeback in a 2-2 draw against Rangers earlier this month, but the Tunisian needs to add consistency to his game in the months and years to come. He also needs to be allowed time to adapt to the demands of the Scottish top tier without the responsibility and scrutiny that comes with being the club’s first-choice wide man.
Summer transfer plans
But where will Celtic turn to add to their wide options? Sarpsborg’s Sondre Orjasaeter and Real Valladolid’s Raul Moro have all been tentatively linked over the last year, but it is perhaps winter target Fares Ghedjemis who should be one if the first names on Celtic’s wishlist.
The 23-year-old was strongly chased by Celtic during the final days of the January transfer window after an explosive season for Frosinone in the Italian second-tier, but opted to remain in central Italy, leaving the club scrambling in the final minutes of the window, before eventually adding the so far ineffective Mvuka from Lorient on a loan deal until the end of the season.
Hopes that a deal for Ghedjemis could be resurrected were boosted earlier this week when his agent Fabrizio Ferrari handed interested parties, such as Celtic, encouragement of a potential summer deal. Speaking Tuttomercatoweb, he admitted: “The market rumours about him in January? He really wanted to finish the season with a promotion. This was the boy’s intention, with Frosinone then potentially monetising the operation in the summer.”
In double figures for the season, he’s scored 12 goals to boost Frosinone’s push for promotion back to the Serie A this campaign. The young winger has shown no signs that the speculation around him is affecting his performances either, even when his side stuttered a little at the turn of the month. The Frenchman’s form has not faltered since the season kicked off in August.
Emergence of Ghedjemis
After drawing three consecutive games at the beginning between the end of February and beginning of March, Ghedjemis has dragged I Canarini back into the Serie A title conversation, scoring twice to help his side win three of their last four games, and move within three points of league leaders Venezia. His desire to achieve promotion before making a decision on his future within touching distance.
Scoring at a rate of 0.42 per 90 minutes, and comfortably outperforming his xG of 8.05, he creates an average of 1.76 chances and 0.37 big chances per 90, he is outperforming almost all of Celtic’s current wingers across several metrics.
Believed to be available for as little as £7million, Celtic reigniting and solidifying their interest in Ghedjemis’ services should be right near the top of their priority list when the transfer window reopens with their options out wide desperately in need of a transformation.
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