Celtic have less than a week to go to complete the remainder of their business before the summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday night.
The Hoops have made four new signings to bolster their squad so far since the end of the 2023/24 campaign, as Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo, Paulo Bernardo, and Adam Idah have all arrived on permanent deals.
Idah and Bernardo spent time on loan in Glasgow last term and this means that the Scottish giants are yet to sign any outfield players who were not already at the club last season.
However, the Scottish Premiership champions are set to change that as they are closing in on a deal to sign Alex Valle on a season-long loan from Barcelona.
Fabrizio Romano claims that the Hoops are poised to bring the Spanish youngster in on a temporary basis, with a verbal agreement already in place between all parties, whilst the left-back has signed a new contract with the LaLiga giants.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reports that Celtic will pay a loan fee of £1.3m to cover the defender’s wages for the 2024/25 campaign.
Alongside their swoop for Valle, the Glasgow-based outfit are also reportedly looking to bolster Brendan Rodgers‘ options in the wide areas this week.
Celtic pursuing deal for Serie A forward
According to Corriere dello Sport (26/08/2024), as relayed by La Lazio Siamo Noi, the Hoops are interested in a deal to sign Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Scottish giants are already in talks with the Serie A side to discuss a possible move for the forward ahead of Friday’s deadline.
It states that the Hoops are preparing to make an offer to sign the 23-year-old star on a season-long loan with an obligation to make it permanent next summer.
However, the outlet does not reveal how much the Bhoys are prepared to pay to make it permanent at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, or how much Lazio would want for his services.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Anthony Joseph adds that Celtic have made an enquiry over the availability of Isaksen and states that Lazio are not looking to sell him this week.
It remains to be seen, though, whether or not they are open to allowing the Danish wizard to leave on loan amid this seemingly strong interest from the Hoops.
If Rodgers and his recruitment team do manage to get a deal over the line for the Serie A whiz before the deadline then they could land a big upgrade on Daizen Maeda out wide.
Why Celtic may want an upgrade on Daizen Maeda
The Japan international is a hard-working winger who puts a shift in for the team, with the manager once claiming that he has the work rate of “two players”.
He presses hard for the side and never gives defenders a moment of peace with his relentless running in and out of possession for the Scottish giants.
However, Maeda’s work in the final third when in possession of the ball lets him down at times and Celtic could improve their output as an attacking force by landing an upgrade on him this week.
The 26-year-old has produced one assist in two games in the Premiership so far this season, teeing up Reo Hatate with a knock-down header at the back post, but he has also missed two ‘big chances’ and failed to find the back of the net.
His finishing in front of goal was also an issue for him during the 2023/24 campaign in the Scottish top-flight, as Maeda only managed six goals in 28 outings.
|
23/24 Premiership |
Daizen Maeda |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
28 |
|
Goals |
6 |
|
Big chances missed |
12 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.5 |
|
Assists |
3 |
As you can see in the table above, the winger missed a whopping 12 ‘big chances’ and failed to hit double figures for goals and assists combined.
The Japanese forward also failed to create at least one chance per match for his teammates, with 0.5 key passes per game, and these statistics show that he was unable to provide consistent quality as a scorer or a creator of goals for Celtic in the Premiership.
Why Celtic should sign Gustav Isaksen
The Hoops should now push to secure a deal to sign Isaksen from Lazio in the coming days because the Danish star has the potential to come in as an upgrade for the club.
He only produced three goals and one assist in 12 starts in the Serie A in his first season in Italy but his underlying numbers showed signs of promise. His three goals came from 1.59 xG and the forward created 2.03 xA worth of chances for his teammates, which suggests he was a ruthless finisher and unfortunate not to record more assists.
His form in limited minutes in Italy indicates that Isaksen could thrive in a Celtic team that provides him with more chances to find the back of the net, as shown by Maeda missing 12 ‘big chances’ and still scoring six goals.
The 23-year-old wizard joined the Italian side from FC Midtjylland last summer and his form for the Danish side during the 2022/23 campaign backs up the theory that he could excel as a goalscorer in a dominant team.
|
22/23 Superliga |
Gustav Isaksen |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
32 |
|
Goals |
18 |
|
Big chances missed |
4 |
|
Key passes per game |
1.7 |
|
Assists |
5 |
As you can see in the table above, Isaksen, whose form was hailed as “extraordinary” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, enjoyed a sublime goalscoring record as a winger with 18 strikes in 32 outings in the Superliga.
He only missed four ‘big chances’ in total, in comparison to Maeda’s 12 ‘big chances’ missed to score six last term, and this suggests that the Denmark international would come in as a huge upgrade for Celtic as a finisher on the flank.
Isaksen, who can operate on either wing, also created 1.7 chances per game for Midtjylland – more than three times as many per game as Maeda managed in the Premiership last season – and this indicates that he would also provide the Hoops with more creativity.
Therefore, Rodgers could improve his team, certainly in possession in the final third, by swooping to sign the Serie A ace before Friday’s deadline.
