It is Time For Aspas And Rodgers To Join Hands Yet Again
Brendan Rodgers has looked like a man reborn at Celtic this season. When he left Liverpool just a few months into the 2015-16 campaign, the Celtic boss looked like a man devoid of confidence, lacking ideas and out of his depth.
However, Rodgers has managed to turn it around in the Scottish Premiership with the Bhoys and is just one win away from lifting his first ever league title. With the title triumph just a mere formality, focus will turn on to the preparations for the upcoming season.
Celtic will be expected to repeat their dominance once again in the Premiership next term as well, and will also be hoping to progress further in the UEFA Champions League. And for that to happen, Rodgers will need to strengthen his side over the summer.
And one name that the former Swansea City boss should consider is Iago Aspas. He is someone who the manager knows well and is aware of his abilities. Celtic should definitely consider a move for the Spaniard.
The 29-year old is in the form of his life and has been scoring for fun at Spanish club Celta Vigo, having netted an excellent 25 goals this term. His impressive performances saw him earn a call-up to the Spain national side against England, where he managed to get himself on the scoresheet as well.
Rodgers has shown in the past that he has high for regards the striker and signed him during his reign at Liverpool, back in 2013 from Celta. Upon his arrival the manager had said:
“Sometimes he’s not always easy on the eye, but when you actually monitor how efficient Iago is, he’s an incredibly effective player. The idea was that Aspas would give another dimension to our attacking play, and he’s done that. He creates goals and scores goals.”
Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as expected for Aspas or Rodgers. With Luis Suarez tearing apart defences in the league and setting the stage alight, the Spaniard was afforded just five starts in the 2013/14 season.
Aspas returned to his homeland the following season, joining Sevilla, where he managed to get his goal-scoring touch back, finishing as the leading goal-scorer in the Copa Del Rey, along with Neymar. In the subsequent season, Aspas returned to his former side Celta Vigo and he has not looked back after that. 18 strikes over the course of 2015-16 campaign, and 25 this season with a good chunk of games yet to be played, goes on to show that he has found his mojo back.
Considering the upturn in fortunes that his former star his going through, Rodgers should consider giving him another chance to shine.
Aspas, primarily a striker, can also play on the right-hand side of a front-three as he has done so effectively this season, to accommodate former Celtic loanee John Guidetti in the line-up. This versatility will allow Celtic to operate with a three-pronged attack with star striker Moussa Dembele as the focal point and Aspas out on the right-side. It will also provide them with an able replacement, if they lose Dembele to an injury, or if they decide to cash in on the Frenchman in the summer window.
Rodgers has undergone a resurrection at Celtic and his former striker too is going through a period of great success on a personal level. With strengthening the squad a must for Celtic over the summer, maybe it is time for the two to join forces once again.
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