Rumoured Celtic target Soufiane El Faouzi has been described as “a machine” by his Schalke 04 captain, Kenan Karaman…
The tenacious midfield battler has been linked to the Hoops this summer, ahead of what will be a significant rebuild for returning manager Martin O’Neill who could have a £40m war-chest at his disposal.
Midfield recruitment key factor for Celtic this summer
One of the key areas that the rebuild will have to focus on massively is midfield, with it set to undergo a massive overhaul.
Reo Hatate and the rarely spotted Paulo Bernardo will almost certainly be leaving – with Hatate having informed the club this week of his wish to leave – whilst question marks remain over the goalscoring phenomenon Benjamin Nygren and Premier League-linked Arne Engels.
A dearth of athleticism and pace
For some time now, Celtic have lacked physicality in the engine-room and we have desperately missed it on the European scene, rueing the dearth of athleticism and pace, to help break up counter-attacks and aid the cultured Callum McGregor.
It is an issue which has also reared it’s head when we play more physical domestic opposition too, being overrun sometimes against the likes of Hearts and the Ibrox side.
If this latest midfield transfer target’s physical attributes are anything to go by, according to his club captain, it could totally transform that area of Celtic’s team.
“Of course, you don’t initially have high expectations for someone coming from the third division,” Karaman told WAZ publication. “You think: ‘Okay, he’ll have to find his feet first’. He surprised me the most,” he said of the 23-year-old El Faouzi.
“That he made such an impact wasn’t a given. The whole environment at Schalke was new and overwhelming for him as a player and as a person.
“It’s incredible how he pushed himself in training and in matches, how he embraced it all. He’s a very clear-headed person.
“Soufi works very hard on his physique. When he first took off his T-shirt, I thought: What a machine! And he delivered accordingly,” the former Turkish international added.
Benjamin Tahirovic of Brondby is a Celtic target
The Bhoys are in the race for Benjamin Tahirovic of Brondby, which Gianluca Di Marzio claimed is still very much alive, with Celtic Shorts reporting on it recently, amidst the ongoing rumours regarding the current rebuild.
With a few midfielders set to leave, and two which are nailed-on certainties, there is scope for more than just Tahirovic to be brought in. El Faouzi won’t be cheap though, as Schalke 04 are said to be wanting close to what we paid for Arne Engels.
Paul Gillespie
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2 Comments
Agreed that our midfield area is potentially going to revamp our squad building process, over this summer period?
Believe that the profile of the midfield player, will involve better pace and physicality within it, especially as it was something we badly lacked last season imo?
Hence why I could see, Hatate, Paulo, Engels and Nygren prepared to move on, as they aren’t really that profile of player imo?
Of course any incoming midfield player, still needs to be technically good with the football, especially as we could tend to give the ball away far to easily, within our play last season, with a lack of creativity for goalscoring opportunities as a result, in far to many matches involved?
Individually, our 6 midfield options at the start of last season, you would have thought could function better than they did?
Even adding the OX, still left us somewhat struggling at times, even if we managed to get over the winning line in the end.
Calmac and McCowan help ourselves regarding our homegrown quota requirements within our squad building process, but still believe that we could and should add another Scottish player to our midfield area also imo?
Lennon Miller would be my own personal favourite, if a potential deal could be sought, or either the lad from hibs, could hugely help our homegrown quota requirements, until maybe some of our youngsters develop further, with higher standard loan deals for next season imo?
As we can’t be totally certain about how MoN intends on setting our team up for next season, just yet?
Still say that a potential 25man European squad will require at least 6 midfield options within it imo?
So could well be looking at another 4 to be added within our rebuilding process, over the course of this window?
Would also be helpful if some of our youngsters start making a claim, for 1st team squad inclusion, in the manner Donovan did last season, to bolster squad numbers within our SPFL campaign, to maybe allow for rotation to be added more so, within such a hectic footballing calendar, off the back of a world cup also?
As our players will generate funds, if they move on, over the summer, serious investment is going to be required within our midfield area, especially if we have any European ambitions imo?
FFS Celtic, we read these CVs every day but nothing positive comes out of Celtic Park.
We are going to have to spend real money on this neglected team because the board have been asleep at the wheel.
Bite the bullet and spend the money, you’ll get most of it back if we sell Engels, Hatate and Nygren.
Give St Martin a chance