Celtic’s next great forward may already play in Scotland
CELTIC will likely be in the market for a striker this summer. Whether they are already at the club or plying their trade in Scotland is another matter altogether.
As things stand, Celtic have three strikers on their books, in the shape of Japan talisman Kyogo Furuhashi, on-loan Norwich City forward Adam Idah and Oh Hyeongyu of South Korea. Of the three, only the former looks as if he will definitely be in and around the first team, helped by the fact that he signed a four-year extension last summer, shortly after the return of Brendan Rodgers as manager.
Idah has no option to buy in his six-month loan deal, so he will return to his parent club when this season ends. As for Oh, he has found game time extremely difficult to come by this campaign, with his minutes being severely limited since his return from the Asia Cup, with an exit either temporary or permanent being a real possibility in the summer for the 22-year-old.
With only one guaranteed striker next season barring an unexpected move elsewhere from Furuhashi this is an area that will need reinforcements. Thanks to Idah’s impact since joining the club in January, many (including me) have been very vocal about keeping the 23-year-old Republic of Ireland stalwart around, particularly under Rodgers. With seven goals and two assists in just 13 outings for the club, his presence has certainly been felt, in what has been a very fruitful loan spell for the striker. If a deal can be reached by means of transfer fees and/or player exchanges then the talented forward may very well remain under Rodgers’ management beyond the summer.
However, what if a deal cannot be reached between Norwich and Celtic concerning Idah? His absence will leave a hole in the attacking contingent of the club, meaning Rodgers and his new-look recruitment team will have to look elsewhere for a replacement. If they have any sense, then the will be looking at the continued brilliance of Aberdeen’s North Macedonian striker Bojan Miovski, the very definition of a thorn in the side for Rodgers’ team this campaign.
A forward who is enjoying a terrific season for an otherwise struggling side in the shape of the Dons, Miovski has been the shining light. Ninth in the league, the side has relied upon the striker’s goals to steer them clear of relegation trouble, though they remain in a perilous position. In his second season in Scotland, he has scored 24 goals in 48 games across all competitions.
Celtic know all about this player, too, given his goal record this season against the champions. Indeed, three goals –including last weekend at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final – have been scored by the striker against the club. Notching his first in Celtic’s 3-1 defeat of the Dons at Pittodrie, the North Macedonia regular displayed that he can score against the best teams in the league.
After taking part in a disappointing 6-0 drubbing in Glasgow, he would score again in Aberdeen, as Peter Leven’s team managed to pick up a 1-1 draw against a sub-par Celtic side, a game where Idah made his debut.
Of course, his most recent strike lingers in the psyche, as he broke the deadlock in under two minutes, getting the better of Cameron CarterVickers and former teammate Liam Scales before slotting past Joe Hart in the Celtic goal.
Though he did not end up on the winning side, his presence was felt at the national stadium, directly impacting proceedings early on.
The speculated fees to acquire Miovski’s services have been around £6 million, a hefty outlay for a player very much in demand. Not unlike the Idah and Mikey Johnstontailored deal between
Celtic and Norwich, there may be scope to include a player to bring this fee down.
You know where I’m going with this already, don’t you?
Oh needs game-time, that much is true. Even though he will no doubt have his pick of teams back in his native South Korea who would take him on a temporary basis, the striker needs to cut his teeth in the Scottish game to have any hope of a future at his first European club.
Aberdeen will need a replacement, as they can’t rely on Ester Sokler and Duk to shoot them up the table with any real confidence. Of course, this would not be a straight swap, as a sizeable fee will need to be transferred from Celtic’s accounts to Aberdeen’s to facilitate such a move, though this may soften the blow.
Miovski may see his future lying elsewhere, as his aspirations could very well be higher than the Scottish Premiership. Macedonia legend Goran Pandev has tipped the striker to make the move to Italy, a path already forged by former Aberdeen teammate Ylber Ramadani, who joined Serie A outfit Lecce last summer.
This is all speculation, but the likelihood of Miovski staying at the Dons past the summer seems unlikely, which is why Celtic should keep tabs on the fearless forward.