5 Celtic January transfer options as Brendan Rodgers has cash to spend.
5 Celtic January transfer options as Brendan Rodgers has cash to spend.
Celtic’s January transfer activity will soon come onto the radar as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his side ahead of the second half of the season.
The Irishman’s side have made an excellent start to the campaign following eight summer arrivals at the Bhoys and plenty of money spent, especially on record buy Arne Engels and Adam Idah.
Looking ahead, there is scope for further movement regarding incomings during the mid-season window, especially with the Hoops’ healthy financial footing. Celtic opted not to bring a winger in before the close of play, which could be an area for reinforcements to occur.
Largely, you would expect the calibre of player linked in January to be determined by whether Brendan Rodgers’ side are in a position to progress in the Champions League.
Either way, there are quality additions to be found around the continent, so let’s take a look at five transfer options Celtic could aim to pursue in January.
Benjamin Tahirovic and Celtic’s six position discourse
Celtic captain Callum McGregor has played in their deepest engine room role for a few years now, but there has been a recurring debate over whether some added defensive midfield brains could favour their cause on the continent.
Out of favour at Ajax, Benjamin Tahirovic could be someone to fit that bill. Making just one appearance for their senior side this term, the Bosnia and Herzegovina international could use a change of scenery to get his career moving in the right direction.
Joining from Roma last summer, the 21-year-old has registered two goals and five assists in 38 Ajax appearances. Last season, Tahirovic made a marked impact on Eredivisie duty, creating 17 chances and recording a pass accuracy rate of 88.7%, as cited via Fotmob.
Defensively, the Spanga-born midfielder won 24 tackles in total, contributing to a wider 70.6% success rate and 72 successful duels.
Under contract until 2028 after signing a long-term deal at the Johan Cruyff Arena, a potential loan deal may be the most viable option for Celtic. Nevertheless, if the Bhoys remain in Champions League contention, Tahirovic may be worth enquiring about to strengthen their cause.
Bazoumana Toure and Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s Celtic admiration
Evaluating potential arrivals out wide, Celtic have continuously scouted Hammarby’s Bazoumana Toure and are deemed to be ‘seriously interested’ in the 18-year-old after chief scout Joe Lefevre was left ‘impressed’ after doing his due diligence on the Ivory Coast Under-20 international.
His current employers won’t be easy to deal with and are reportedly set to demand a fee of €10 million (£8.37 million) for the rising star, who has also attracted recent interest from Crystal Palace, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen.
He scored seven goals in 20 outings this term and supplied three assists. With the Allsvenskan campaign set to end in a matter of weeks, Hammarby will technically be in the off-season in January. Regardless, the prospect of Celtic firming up their initial admiration for fleet-footed Toure remains to be determined.
Trodding a familiar path, Celtic’s summer pursuit of Michel-Ange Balikwisha stalled after the Royal Antwerp winger suffered an injury that has limited him to featuring just once this term against Charleroi back in July.
Previously, the Bhoys held dialogue over Balikwisha during the window, and it became clear he had been identified as someone who would add plenty of guile off the left flank. The Gent-born man notched 18 goal contributions in 44 appearances circa 2023/24.
He also created a half-century of chances in the Jupiler Pro League and supplied 33 successful crosses, demonstrating a level of end product, per data from Fotmob. Should he recover before the January window, Balikwisha could add a different dimension in the final third should Celtic book European progression.
Willem Geubbels’ contract situation could intrigue the Bhoys
Basing this one purely on goals and prospective availability, St Gallen striker Willem Guebbels has entered a decent vein of form that could tempt clubs around Europe, including Celtic, to try and land his services on a cut-price deal.
Why could he be an affordable option? The former France Under-19 international is out of contract in the summer of 2025. Six goals and two assists in 17 appearances represent a solid season start for the Lyon youth product.
Sensationally, Geubells joined Monaco as a 16-year-old in 2018 for £17.5 million [BBC Sport]. Nevertheless, his spell in the principality never really caught fire due to the expectation involved, striking once in 17 matches.
Known for his turn of pace and runs in-behind, the 23-year-old is starting to find a new level of maturity in Switzerland and could be an ambitious target for Celtic to ponder in January.
Arthur Piedfort’s versatility would suit Celtic
ast but not least, Westerlo defensive midfielder Arthur Piedfort is an encouraging talent that looks destined to go on and have a distinguished footballing career, so why shouldn’t Celtic keep a close eye on his progress?
The Belgium Under-19 is beginning to shine in the Jupiler Pro League, winning an average of 2.4 tackles and making 3.3 recoveries per match despite being only 19 years of age, as seen on Sofascore.
Standing at 6ft 1in, his physical stature makes him someone who could grow into a dominant figure in the engine room. Slot that alongside his versatility that can also see Piedfort slide in at centre-back or in more advances midfield areas, there is plenty to be positive about concerning the emerging talent.
Competition would likely be hefty for his signature, but dangling the carrot of a platform with exposure to European football and winning domestic trophies would put Celtic in with a shout of landing him.
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