Compper And Lewis Morgan To Sign For Celtic, Dembele Stays – Brendan Rodgers’ Transfer Window Explored
Celtic’s record unbeaten record in the domestic competitions may have come to an end, but they still look set for another Scottish Premiership title, to add to the Scottish League Cup trophy that they have already bagged this season.
There was a slight disappointment once again on the European front as they crashed out of the UEFA Champions League at the group stages only, but the fact that they did get through to the UEFA Europa League, courtesy of a third-place finish in the group, will make for a positive atmosphere around the Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers will be keen on going far in the Europa League, while also not losing focus on the domestic competitions. And to that end, he will be looking to strengthen certain departments of his squad come January. Keeping that in mind, here we look at what would represent an ideal January transfer window for the reigning Scottish champions.
Craig Gordon has been a permanent fixture in the line-up for the Hoops and with Dorus de Vries as an able backup, there is no need for Rodgers to worry about the goalkeeping department as of now. There are no issues when it comes to the full-back areas as well, with Mikael Lustig and Kieran Tierney performing exceptionally and the bright young talents of Anthony Ralston and Calvin Miller in the ranks; another tick for the manager.
However, the same cannot be said about the centre-back region for the Scottish champions. Injuries to key members have hampered the Hoops at various stages this season, with the likes of Dedryck Boyata, Jozo Simunovic, Erik Sviatchenko all spending significant amount of time on the sidelines.
While Boyata has been impressive after his return, Simunovic hasn’t been able to find his form and Sviatchenko is yet to make a comeback. Rodgers has been forced to use midfielder Nir Bitton at centre-back, while the Israeli international has been decent, he doesn’t represent a long-term solution. Despite the emergence of Kristoffer Ajer, this is one area that Rodgers needed to strengthen.
He has done that by signing Marvin Compper from German side RB Leipzig already. The 32-year old is a vastly experienced customer with over 250 Bundesliga experiences under his belt and signing him could prove to be a shrewd piece business for the club.
The central midfield area looks fine too, with captain Scott Brown leading from the front, alongside the extremely impressive Olivier Ntcham and the ever-improving Stuart Armstrong. Add to that, the presence of Kouassi Eboue in the ranks means that Celtic are very well stocked in the middle of the park.
Another area that needs reinforcement is the wide positions. Having lost Patrick Roberts for close to three months, Rodgers has been left with just James Forrest, Jonny Hayes and Scott Sinclair as his options on the flanks. While Forrest has been impressive, the same cannot be said about Hayes, who has struggled to hit the heights of last season, following his summer move from Aberdeen.
Sinclair, contrary to what his returns say, hasn’t been all that convincing this term for the Bhoys, especially in the European competitions. There have been talks of a move for St. Mirren winger Lewis Morgan with reports claiming that the 21-year old starlet is close to finalising a move to the Parkhead.
That would represent another very good piece of business for the club, given that the youngster has been on piping hot form this term – having scored 10 goals in 24 games across all competitions.
Coming to the striking department, in Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths, Celtic have two of the most lethal marksmen in the Premiership and the two have proven they can step up on the European stages too. Add to that, the exciting Odsonne Edouard on loan from PSG, there is a good balance available at the top as well.
However, Dembele has been constantly linked with a move away from the Celtic Park of late, with a number of Premier League clubs lining up an offer for the Frenchman. It will be absolutely vital for Rodgers and Celtic that they hold on to the former Fulham man at all costs. If it does happen that he moves on, a replacement will definitely need to be brought in.
Verdict
While the Celtic squad is more than strong to retain their Scottish Premiership title, Rodgers will need to bolster his ranks with a couple more additions and the signing of Compper represents a step in the right direction. With Morgan’s signature also on the horizon, it seems the Hoops have everything in place. However, they will need to do everything in their power to hold on to Dembele, as losing him could prove detrimental to their hopes of going far in Europe.