Celtic secured their place in the next round of the League Cup on Sunday with a 3-1 win for Brendan Rodgers' side against Hibernian at Parkhead.
The Hoops were knocked out of the competition at this time last season by Kilmarnock but ensured that they picked up the win and progressed thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and one from Nicolas Kuhn.
It was the second win against Hibernian this month after the two sides had met the previous weekend in the Scottish Premiership, with goals from Nicolas Kuhn and Callum McGregor sealing all three points at Easter Road.
Viljami Sinisalo will have to wait for his debut between the sticks but there was a second debut for Idah, whilst Kasper Schmeichel and Paulo Bernardo had already made their respective debuts earlier this month in the Premiership.
There could be more debuts to come for the Scottish giants over the coming weeks, as the summer transfer window does not officially slam shut until the end of the month.
Rodgers and the club's recruitment team still have a bit of time left to make further signings for the Hoops, and they reportedly have their eye on a new defender to bolster the squad.
Celtic keen on Premier League full-back
According to Football Insider, Celtic are working on a deal to sign left-back Owen Beck from Liverpool on a permanent deal before the end of the window.
The report claims that the Hoops are hoping to see off competition from a host of clubs in the English Championship to land the full-back's signature, with Queens Park Rangers named as one of the interested parties.
It states that the Premiership champions want to sign the 22-year-old talent on a permanent basis and that the Premier League giants are looking for a fee within the region of £3m.
Football Insider reveals that the Bhoys are in the market to add another left-back to their squad because Greg Taylor is currently the manager's only senior option in that position, with Alexandro Bernabei currently out on loan.
The outlet adds that Celtic see Beck as a player with 'huge' potential who could come in and provide the Scotland international with competition for his place in the starting XI this season.
However, the Welsh dynamo is not the only left-back on the club's radar. Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph recently claimed that they are also interested in Ajax's Owen Wijndal.
The journalist claimed that the Dutch giants are open to cashing in on the left-footed defender and that Celtic have made an initial inquiry about his availability.
Owen Wijndal's form last season
The 24-year-old defender struggled to nail down a starting position at Ajax in the 2022/23 campaign, with just 15 starts in the Eredivisie, and was sent out on loan to Royal Antwerp last term.
It was a chance for the full-back to go and play regular football week-in-week-out in the Belgian top-flight and he enjoyed a solid season down the left flank.
However, it was not an outstanding year for Wijndal and there may be concerns that he would not come in at Parkhead and offer genuine competition for Taylor.
Appearances
29
35
Goals
1
3
Assists
0
4
Big chances created
1
11
Duel success rate
57%
52%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
2.2
As you can see in the table above, their defensive statistics were similar at league level last term but the Celtic star's attacking work was vastly superior.
As a dominant team in the Premiership, the club's full-backs must be able to carry an attacking threat to break down low blocks and it does not appear as though Wijndal does.
His statistics in the Champions League for Antwerp last term are further evidence of that. The Dutchman did not create a single chance for his teammates in six outings in the competition, with zero key passes in five starts.
His form in Europe and domestically for the Belgian outfit suggests that Wijndal would not offer much in possession for the Hoops, which is not ideal when Taylor has the quality to be a difference-maker in the final third.
Beck would be a dream alternative to Wijndal as a £3m signing from Liverpool due to his Premiership experience and attacking quality from left-back.
What Owen Beck could bring to Liverpool
Whilst the 24-year-old Dutchman struggled to provide much creativity down the left flank for Antwerp last season, Beck spent the year on loan at Dundee and provided a big presence at the top end of the pitch.
Liverpool sent the young defender out on loan to the Premiership and he proved his quality in and out of possession throughout the season, earning himself a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
This means that Celtic would be signing a player who has already shown that he can compete week-in-week-out in the Scottish top-flight, whereas Wijndal has no prior experience in the division, and this suggests that the Welshman could hit the ground running at Parkhead.
The 22-year-old, who was once described as a "spectacular" left-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, made an impact in the final third with 2.3 key passes per game and six 'big chances' created in 25 league outings.
Appearances
29
25
Goals
1
2
Key passes per game
0.6
2.3
Assists
0
4
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
3.9
Duel success rate
57%
55%
As you can see in the table above, Beck has the ability to offer far more than Wijndal in possession due to his ability to score goals and create chances from a left-back position.
He also made 1.3 more tackles and interceptions per game last term, whilst winning a similar percentage of his physical duels, and this suggests that Beck could win possession back more frequently through tackles and interceptions for Celtic.
Therefore, the £3m-rated star could be a dream alternative to the Ajax defender because of his Premiership experience, defensive work, and attacking quality, which is why Rodgers must push for this deal to be completed this month.
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ByDan EmeryAug 15, 2024