Player Suggestions

Given the success of Jota a couple of others whose deals are running out at Benfica.

Martim Neto, 6’1 centre midfielder, good feet and great eye for a pass, also scored a couple of cracking goals from distance and just turned 20 at the weekend there.



A bit more ambitious, as I think big clubs will want him for their u21/ U23 teams is Cher Ndour, 6’3 18 year old Italian attacking centre midfielder. Guy is a tank and also got very good footballing ability on the ball. If he’s looking to make the step to proper first team football we could offer him that chance.



Both have expiring contracts this summer and would be good options for attacking midfield positions.

 

With Urawa agreeing a €4millon fee with Celtic for Giakoumakis, we really need someone who can offer that similar type of physical threat and goal scoring ability for a realistic price. 4 million is incredibly low and likely leaves our target replacement having to be valued within a similar ballpark we got Giakoumakis for.

In terms of a replacement, Ladislav Almasi looks a decent fit and worth the chance given the price we could likely get him for. Still young, decent goal scoring record, offers the same physical threat and pacier than GG. 5 goals in 7 appearances this season. Only 23.

Phillip Tietz at SV Darmstadt is another option, likely more expensive though. He's netted 6 times in 17 games for Darmstadt this season, possesses the same physical attributes and proven goalscorer - only 25.

Tomas Chory of Viktoria Plzen, another with all the physical attributes and has hit 9 in 16 appearances for Plzen this season. Again, likely available for a realistic price and only 27.

Obviously, a replacement striker doesn't have to have those physical attributes - but Giakoumakis offered us a different style of striker in games when we needed that and I think a replacement for him should be in the same mold.

 

I quite liked the boy Josh Maja when he burst onto the scene at Sunderland. Over in France now playing with Bordeaux and has got a decent goal scoring record this season. Albeit in Ligue 2. Didn’t do much on loan at Stoke last season mind you, but he has only just turned 24 as well, so still plenty time for him.

 

Viktor Gyokeres, 24 year old Striker from Coventy. Swedish International. Has 18 months left on his deal with them. Could get him for a lower fee in the summer. Scored 13 goals and 1 assist this year in 32 games for club and country, including 12 goals in 26 games in the championship. Transfer Market Value- £4.5m

Georges Mikautadze. 22 year old Georgian International playing for Metz in Ligue 2. On a long term deal. Scored 11 and assisted 6 for club and country in 27 games. Transer Market Value- £2.5m

Raul Garcia, 22 year old striker playing for Mirandes in LaLiga 2. On Loan from Real Betis. 10 goals and 4 assists in 20 games in LaLiga 2 this year. Transfer Market Value- £1.5m

 

Someone I've watched a lot of recently that I'd love Celtic to take a chance on is Dylan Vente at Roda JC. He's not the GG mold but he's got some fantastic finishing, always seems to be in the right spots, great shots from distance (something I wish we had more of given how teams play against us domestically) and even has some decent aerial ability considering he's only 5ft9. He scored 23 in 38 for Roda last season and currently has 13 in 18 for them so far this season. Granted, he's playing in the Eerste Divisie, so those numbers don't necessarily mean he can do it anywhere he goes - but I think he'd do great here and would only cost around the £1 milllion range.

 

Leeds were after Gyokeres before they signed Rutter.

Was around the £14 million range the rumours were and Coventry had apparently said that wasn't enough - well out of our price range it seems. Good player though.

 

He is a good player. Can't see them getting £14m for him with less than a year on his deal come the summer. England is * mental though, I guess.

 

Agreed mate, they seem desperate to keep him until the end of the season. They'll no doubt sell him in the summer, but as you say - by then, they'll be lucky to get £6 million for him. The figures down south are ludicrous.

 

19 (in a couple weeks) year old big front man for Partizan..

Looks a talent..

 

Probs not the best time to be highlighting him as they’re getting beat of Darvel…


However, that Duk from Aberdeen has 9 goals and 5 assists in the League (22 Games roughly 65% of minutes) and looks a livewire every time I’ve seen him play.


Youth at benfica previous. Might be worth a punt at only 22 years of age.

 

He is probably in the top three players in Scotland outwith us and Rangers. We should definitely be watching and monitoring his situation.

 

A player I think we should look at is Jason Knight at Derby. His contract is up in the summer and is just about to turn 22 but has a decent amount of experience at Championship (more than 100 games), league 1 and international football (15 senior caps) for someone his age.

An attacking midfielder is his main position but has played wide right, he has filled in at right back and played deeper in the midfield. From a fit point of view he has a great engine and presses well, he also makes good runs off the ball.

As a bosman he would be worth bringing in.

 

Enes Sali. Only 16. What a prospect..

Been capped by Romania already and Barcelona had to let him to go..

 

He looks ridiculously talented. Who's he playing for now mate?

 

Away to find Mark Lawwells email on linked in…

 

Farul Constanța back in Romania, they finished 5th last season

 

If Giako is going and Cho doesn't fancy coming we should be trying to hijack New York RB's bid for Dante Vanzeir.

Exactly the type of profile we should be looking at. Only 24 and has 47 goals and 21 assists in 89 matches in Belguim. NYRB have bid $5M.