Two Signings Celtic Could Make After Jonny Hayes’ Arrival
With former Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes’ move to Celtic Park all wrapped up, further incomings are certain. Brendan Rodgers and the Celtic board will be spending as much time trying to keep their prized assets as they do bring in new ones, but either way, fresh talent is needed.
Here we look at two potential Celtic signings over the coming weeks and months.
Ryan Kent (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp is urging the Liverpool youngsters to push on and prove themselves this season, though ultimately fighting a title and Champions League campaign means the German needs proven players at the top level.
Kent will get there eventually, but for now, the step up looks rather too big. The winger spent last season on loan at Barnsley in the English Championship, starting 25 of his games out on the left and making his biggest impact there.
3 goals, 1 assist and a pass completion rate of 80% saw him make an impact at Oakwell but also show that he has a long way to go. His record of losing the ball 2.2 times per game on average is not good and is one of the areas he needs to improve quickly. I would say Klopp will see a year in the Scottish Premiership could be ideal for the player.
Kent will have more confidence boosting success on the pitch in this division, though he may also get some Champions League experience, meaning this move may be seen as ideal for the player’s progression.
Martin Caceres (Southampton)
The club may yet lose centre-back Jozo Simunovic this summer and if that happens they will need to move fast for a replacement. Martin Caceres has played just once for Southampton in the Premier League and is looking for a way out already.
He looks as though he is not suited to the top division in England and much like Kent, may see a move here as him getting the best of both worlds. Caceres is definitely good enough to play in the Scottish Premiership and wouldn’t have too many problems against the majority of strikers. The chance to play Champions League football plays on the modern football player’s ego and so the lure could be too big.
At 30 years of age, Caceres has begun to slip ever so slightly in terms of his ability, but you cannot ignore his fine pedigree. After leaving Uruguay and joining Villarreal in Spain, Caceres went on to play for Barcelona and Juventus among others and is exactly the sort of player Celtic need in a European competition.