Celtic Must Go All Out For Aaron Mooy
Celtic look all set to win the Scottish Premiership this weekend when they face the Hearts at the Tynecastle Stadium on Sunday. The Bhoys are on top of the standings, with a 25-point lead on the second placed Aberdeen. A win against Hearts would confirm their impending title triumph.
Brendan Rodgers’ men have had a fairly easy campaign and are unbeaten in the Premiership so far. However, next season they will be expected to step it up in Europe along with dominating the domestic scenes.
While there won’t be a lot of holes that Celtic will have to fill in the summer window, some reinforcements will be needed.
Craig Gordon signing a new contract means that there will be no issues in goal and defensive reinforcements don’t really look like a necessity unless someone departs in the summer. Winger Patrick Roberts returning to his parent club Manchester City after his loan deal comes to an end would mean that a replacement will be needed, while the amount of interest in striker Moussa Dembele could possibly create a need for a new striker.
A quality midfielder could also be on the priority list for Rodgers, despite having brought in the talented Eboue Kouassi in January, as questions remain over the fitness of Tom Rogic and the future of Nir Bitton. Landing a quality midfielder with excellent playmaking abilities in the summer could bring the best out of Stuart Armstrong, allowing the midfielder the license to get forward, while letting captain Scott Brown to shield his defence.
One player who would fit the bill perfectly for the Scottish club is Manchester City’s Aaron Mooy. The 26-year old arrived at City last summer from Australian club Melbourne City and was immediately shipped out on loan to EFL Championship side Huddersfield Town.
Mooy has been one of the most impressive players in the Championship and has been one of the prime reasons why the Terriers find themselves at 3rd place in the standings. The Australian international – teammate of Celtic’s Rogic, has been an all-round player for Huddersfield, chipping in with 3 goals and 5 assists in 35 appearances, helping them mount a challenge for the promotion to the Premier League.
An all-action midfielder, Mooy has created 75 clear-cut chances for his teammates – which is the third best tally in the Championship and has also won 43% of his 158 attempted tackles. He has won 42 headed duels as well. Equally comfortable when in possession, the Australian has completed 67% of his take-ons successfully and averages a pass accuracy of 83%.
Mooy is set for a return to the Etihad at the end of the season, but the chances of him breaking into Pep Guardiola’s star-studded line-up is something that is very unlikely to happen. And as a result, he would probably see himself moving away, either on loan or maybe even permanently in the summer.
Considering Celtic’s good relations with City; having brought in the likes of Jason Denayer, John Guidetti, Dedryck Boyata and Patrick Roberts over the past three years, they should look to take advantage of it and make Mooy their primary target in the summer.
With his technical ability and all-round contribution, Mooy will bring in a lot of value to the team. Considering the fact that he has the experience of playing in Scotland, thanks to his stint with St. Mirren, adaptability issues shouldn’t be a concern for Rodgers. Considering everything in play, Mooy seems to be a sensible and a gettable target for Celtic and they should make a move for the 26-year old Australian midfielder.
*All Stats Taken From Squawka.com
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