Celtic has been linked with numerous overseas targets ever since the conclusion of the campaign but there are some players from within our own league that are well worth looking at as we aim to re-build our squad…
Elijah Just is an obvious contender
One is Elijah Just of Motherwell who has been linked with Celtic over the past few months. The New Zealand international has had an impressive campaign and was a standout against Celtic on more than one occasion.
Just, although comfortable on the right, can play on any flank, he’s a skilful player importantly with an end product to show as his stats of seven goals and seven assists in the Scottish Premiership illustrates.
We have Yang and James Forrest on the right hand side, but a new much more hungrier individual could well benefit the side.
Emmanuel Longelo has impressed at Motherwell
Another Motherwell star we should be looking at is the impressive Emmanuel Longelo. The 25 year old former Cambridge, Birmingham City and West Ham man like his teammate Elijah Just has stood out in an impressive Motherwell side.
Adaptable anywhere across the left hand side of the pitch, Longelo played the overwhelming majority of his games for the Steelmen at left back, and scored an impressive eight goals, registering five assists.
Strong and athletic, Longelo is effective at both ends of the field, as his offensive record suggests, not forgetting he was part of a Motherwell side who boasted the second best defensive record in the top flight, showing he’s as equally as capable on the back foot.
There’s still hope we can sign the superb Marcelo Saracchi, but if not then Longelo should be a player on our radar.
Calvin Miller could make a return to Paradise
Another player we should be looking at is former Celtic youth prospect Calvin Miller, who much like fellow winger Just has had a mighty impressive campaign.
Calvin, who rumoured to be the subject of a late Celtic enquiry back in the January transfer window can operate at left back, midfield or on the left hand side of the attack, and he topped the assists record in the top flight with an impressive nine to his name, whilst also chipping in with six goals.
Miller has already been linked to a summer move to Hearts so Celtic may have to move quickly on this one if they are to bring the former Celt back to the club.
All three would be outstanding additions
These are the three players who I believe would undoubtedly be great additions to a Celtic squad facing a major rebuild this summer. All three already are tried and tested successes in the Scottish football and amid the ongoing links from players coming in from abroad, that local knowledge is a major positive.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
READ THIS – WHY CELTIC SUPPORTERS SHOULD SIGN UP FOR THE CELTIC SEASON TICKET ALLIANCE.
HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…
Quick Tip – Add Celticshorts.com as your ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the Celtic content you value the most. It takes just a few seconds and you’ll notice the difference straight away! – Click HERE….Hail Hail!
2 Comments
Totally understand the logic of looking at players who have been comfortable playing within the SPFL. The stumbling block within the managerial decisions involved is, are such named players able to improve into potential European players, or stay as squad players moreso within an SPFL campaign, similar to McCowan and forrest within our squad imo?
Course it would boost squad depth, but good enough to add that extra quality we require, especially in European competition, and hopefully at CL level?
So as alternatives go, possibly could provide stability within our squad building process?
But potentially would be a hard sell to our own supporters, for the extra quality factor we are hoping for imo?
Without knowing who is going to be our actual manager next season? Still possibly doesn’t stop ourselves considering players, who could fit into forming a squad upon a 433 basis. That doesn’t mean that we are going to continue with the formation, it’s only for squad building process, taking into account, what players we already have, fitting into a 25man European squad already?
The chances of that 25man squad being totally completed before the CL qualification games, are possibly slim, but still has to be strong enough to get through the qualification process also, with a decent start within the SPFL campaign?
Hence, potential incoming players are looking for the guarantee of a place within our 25man European squad?
Balikwisha was such an example last season, who in turn couldn’t get a place within our SPFL match day squad?
Hatate and Paulo were worthy of such a position at the start of last season, but failed in general within our 20man SPFL match day squads?
Even in January only really Julian added anything within our 3 changes allowed to our European squad, with others not making to much of an impact within our SPFL match day squads, despite the limited and welcome contributions?
So of course, there are the demands for our squad building process, to be massively improved upon imo?
Not going to be a simple and straightforward process involved either?
Especially with the delays that a world cup will bring to the proceedings?
So is taking the quick and simpler solutions, really the right approach at this stage, within our squad building process?
Personally believe that it would be to high risk for any incoming manager imo?
Especially within the strengthening of the quality factor that we are looking for, especially with a demand of having better than we already have in place imo?
I’d take Elijah Just he’s only going to get better and better and he’s got that little bit of swagger about him that makes him stand out. I’m not sold on Miller or Longelo I don’t rate either of them as Celtic class but I guess it’s all about opinions and it doesn’t mean that either of us are right. Going into the CL with Miller and Longelo doesn’t scream fear factor for the opposition and I think both would get found out very quickly. I’m not saying don’t sign SPFL players but those two aren’t for me.