Heidenheim's midfielder Niklas Dorsch in action against Bayern Munich. (Getty Images)
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With a release clause of just over £3m, this 21-year-old starlet would be a steal for Celtic

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Why Niklas Dorsch would be a fantastic signing for Celtic

According to a report from Scottish Sun, Celtic are among a number of clubs interested in signing Bundesliga 2 side Heidenheim’s highly-rated midfielder Niklas Dorsch.

Niklas Dorsch, 21, who has three caps for Germany Under-21s, joined Bayern Munich in 2012, aged 14, and managed just one senior appearance, against Eintracht Frankfurt. But he moved on in search of regular opportunities in the summer of 2018 and has become a huge success at Heidenheim.

The combative midfielder has started the new Bundesliga 2 campaign well, bagging a goal and two assists in 13 games so far. The report adds that the German has a release clause of just over £3m and with that in mind, Celtic must go all out to land the 21-year-old during the January transfer window.

Niklas Dorsch of 1.FC Heidenheim challenges Genki Haraguchi of Hannover 96 during the Second Bundesliga match between 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and Hannover 96 at Voith-Arena. (Getty Images)
Niklas Dorsch of 1.FC Heidenheim challenges Genki Haraguchi of Hannover 96 during the Second Bundesliga match between 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and Hannover 96 at Voith-Arena. (Getty Images)

Celtic have started the new season very well as Neil Lennon aims to retain the Scottish Premiership title. The likes of Odsonne Edouard, Ryan Christie and James Forrest have been excellent so far this campaign, wreaking havoc against Scottish Premiership sides. But as far as central midfield is concerned, they have little cover.

Skipper Scott Brown and Callum McGregor have been first-choice central midfielders for Lennon. Brown and McGregor have worked well in tandem, but if one of those gets injured, Lennon will be in trouble as he has very little depth in that department. Olivier Ntcham has been used in an advanced role this season, while Eboue Kouassi has been completely frozen out of the picture.

Moreover, Brown has entered the twilight of his career and Celtic surely need a long-term replacement for the former Scotland international. In that regard, Niklas Dorsch would be a fantastic signing for the Hoops.

Celtic captain Scott Brown celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal at Hampden Park on November 02, 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Celtic captain Scott Brown celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal at Hampden Park on November 02, 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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Dorsch is a very talented and promising young defensive midfielder who has averaged 2.5 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 0.2 blocks this season, whilst maintaining a staggering 91.6% pass success rate. [Courtesy: WhoScored.com]

Clearly, he could be the player to add a lot of energy, tenacity and freshness in equal measure to a Celtic midfield already filled with experienced performers.

Verdict

The Scottish champions could do with a young player in that particular department, and Dorsch would be a good addition to the team. At 21, he has the potential to thrive in Scotland and replace the ageing Brown in the long run.