Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Strikers a must for Hoops
MARK BURCHILL remembers when it was standing room only in the Celtic striker department rather than last man standing.
The former Hoops hero isn’t surprised Brendan Rodgers is on the hitman hunt and reckons capturing Timothy Weah and Vakoun Issouf Bayo would give the Parkhead squad the numbers needed to add up to eight in a row.
Burchill – who these days scouts for Premier League outfit Bournemouth – has watched the PSG kid and Dunajska Streda poacher and believes Brendan Rodgers shouldn’t target one or the other.
The Celtic boss needs both. The ex-hoops hitman said: “It’s amazing when you think about it how few strikers Brendan has had since he walked through the door at Celtic.
“It has left Celtic short. It also doesn’t allow much room for losses of form.
“Most clubs have to run with four strikers Celtic have got to strengthen. They were looking for a couple of signings in the summer and it didn’t quite work out then Dembele left late on.
“I’d be amazed if they didn’t come out the end of January in much stronger shape.”
Talent spotter Burchill has dozens of dossiers on frontmen from all over the globe and the Celtic targets have also crossed his radar. He said: “I’ve seen a fair bit of the two of them and both look the part.
“They are similar sizes and shapes. Brendan likes that style, players who are powerful, can hold it up and run the channels.”