Brendan Rodgers pleased with the signing of free agent striker with 21-goals

Brendan Rodgers pleased with the signing of free agent striker with 21-goals

The purchase of Liel Abada is a ‘huge coup’ for MLS club Charlotte FC, after Scottish Premiership winners Celtic sold the Israel international for £10 million.

As Hoops great Chris Sutton pointed out with some amusement ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final against Livingston,

the team at Brendan Rodgers’ disposal right now appears to be significantly weaker than it was on January 1st.

Alexandro Bernabei’s transfer to Internacional leaves Celtic with only one recognised left-back.

Following David Turnbull’s departure, Rodgers was obliged to throw 18-year-old Daniel Kelly into the deep end during last week’s 2-0 defeat against Hearts.

And in Liel Abada, Celtic may have replaced a player who had established himself as a reliable provider of goals and assists from the wing with a man who, according to one analyst, would struggle to break into the Kilmarnock starting lineup.

Celtic sold Liel Abada to Major League Soccer.

According to Sky Sports, Abada officially joined Charlotte FC on Friday after his Celtic career came to an end for ‘personal reasons’.

And Celtic’s loss, according to Charlotte manager Dean Smith, will undoubtedly benefit his new club.

“He’s a player I know well, coming from the United Kingdom,” Smith tells MLS Soccer. “I know he’s been playing in Scotland, but there aren’t many English people who aren’t familiar with Celtics and Rangers players since they’re constantly in the headlines and on television.

“They are both huge clubs. And to obtain a player of his caliber and consistency with Celtic over the last few seasons is a huge coup for us, I believe.”

Abada, one of the most inspiring signings of the legendary Ange Postecoglou era,

scored an incredible 47 goals in two seasons under the now-Tottenham Hotspur manager.

Postecoglou’s favourite leaves Parkhead

“He’ll add innovation in the last third. “He scores goals and creates goals,” says the former Aston Villa and Brentford coach.

“If you get a wide guy with so many goals in a season, that’s a good player.

“We believe Liel Abada will be the right player, person, and character. That’s why we’ve spent so long to ensure he’s the proper fit for us,

and we’ll do the same with the next one. Recruitment is critical, but it can also be challenging.”

Celtic, at the very least, made a £6.5 million profit on a player who arrived in Glasgow as a relative unknown from Maccabi Petah Tikva back in 2021.

Get more related news on https://sportviewers.com