Celtic look set to lose one in all their high skills inside the subsequent week or in order Nicolas Kuhn is closing in on a everlasting exit from the Scottish Premiership champions.
Sky Sports activities reporter Anthony Joseph claims that the membership have agreed a payment of round £16.5m with Italian aspect Como for the left-footed sensation.
The journalist provides that the previous RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich youth prospect has already agreed to signal a long-term contract with the Serie A outfit this summer time.
Kuhn has reportedly turned down a possible return to Leipzig, who have been concerned about signing him, and has a medical scheduled with Como for subsequent week, which means that an official affirmation just isn’t imminently anticipated.
It does seem, although, that it’s only a matter of time earlier than Celtic verify that the German winger is not going to be enjoying for the membership subsequent season, which is able to come as a blow to Brendan Rodgers.
Why promoting Nicolas Kuhn is a blow for Celtic
While the Hoops are set to rake in a major sum of cash for the 25-year-old expertise, it’s at all times a blow when a high-quality participant strikes on, and that’s what he’s.
The 2024/25 marketing campaign was his first full season in Glasgow, having joined from Fast Vienna within the January switch window final yr, and he actually hit his stride on the suitable flank.
Kuhn ended the season with a return of 21 targets and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which reveals that he offered high quality within the remaining third frequently for Rodgers.
The left-footed magician’s type within the Premiership, as Celtic received the league title, was significantly spectacular, because the ahead showcased his skill to each rating and create targets.
24/25 Premiership | Nicolas Kuhn per 90 | Percentile rank vs wingers |
|---|---|---|
xG | 0.46 | Prime 10% |
Objectives | 0.62 | Prime 8% |
Photographs on the right track | 1.30 | Prime 14% |
xA | 0.34 | Prime 10% |
Assists | 0.43 | Prime 10% |
Possibilities created | 2.49 | Prime 12% |
Stats through FotMob | ||
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Kuhn ranked very extremely amongst his positional friends in a number of key attacking metrics, which reveals that he scored and created targets at an distinctive fee.
These statistics illustrate why will probably be a giant blow for Rodgers when this sale goes by means of, as a result of he’s dropping a participant who has confirmed that he could make a big impact on the high finish of the pitch for Celtic.
The Hoops have, in fact, already signed Benjamin Nygren on a everlasting deal to bolster their choices on the flanks, however he doesn’t have the inventive high quality to totally change what Kuhn supplied.
Within the 2024/25 marketing campaign, the Sweden worldwide solely managed a return of two assists in 30 Superliga appearances, to go together with his spectacular haul of 15 targets.
Due to this fact, Celtic might must dip into the market to signal one other broad possibility who can present creativity in addition to a objective risk, now that Kuhn seems to be on his approach out of the membership.
Earlier this summer time, it was reported that the Scottish giants are concerned about Stoke Metropolis ahead Million Manhoef, who’s valued at £10m by the Championship aspect, and they need to now reignite that curiosity.
Why Celtic ought to signal Million Manhoef
The Premiership champions might brilliantly change Kuhn forward of the 2025/26 marketing campaign by pushing forward with a swoop for the Netherlands U21 worldwide, as he would arrive with the same profile.
Just like the German star, the Stoke attacker is a diminutive left-footed proper winger who has the standard to each rating and create targets in equal measure, as evidenced by his type for the English aspect final season.
He has not delivered the form of numbers that Kuhn managed for Celtic but, as he has not had the prospect to play in a workforce that’s as dominant domestically because the Hoops are, which signifies that there could be a level of danger.
Nonetheless, Rodgers can afford to take extra of a danger with a participant like Manhoef as a result of the membership have already introduced in Nygren to doubtlessly play on the suitable wing and, as aforementioned, his haul of 15 targets final season means that he may very well be a superb possibility.
The Stoke star ended the 2024/25 marketing campaign with a return of 5 targets and 5 assists in 28 Championship begins, however it’s his underlying numbers behind these headline statistics which might be much more promising for Celtic.
24/25 Championship | Million Manhoef | Percentile rank vs wingers |
|---|---|---|
xG | 7.74 | Prime 9% |
Objectives | 5 | Prime 21% |
Photographs on the right track | 26 | Prime 9% |
xA | 4.83 | Prime 14% |
Possibilities created | 52 | Prime 9% |
Assists | 5 | Prime 20% |
Stats through FotMob | ||
As you’ll be able to see within the desk above, Manhoef excelled at stepping into goalscoring positions and at creating probabilities for his teammates, rating extremely amongst his positional friends, however was not medical sufficient together with his ending.
Pundit David Prutton claimed it might be a “super” transfer for Manhoef to signal for Celtic, and these statistics counsel that the potential is there for it to be an amazing transfer for all events.
The Dutch wizard, who solely recorded 5 assists from 12 ‘massive probabilities’ created within the Championship, might thrive in a workforce that dominates video games week-in-week-out, as Celtic do.
He has been enjoying for a midtable workforce, in Stoke, who don’t problem on the high finish of the division within the second tier in England, which means that he has not had the chance to play in a aspect that’s constantly on the entrance foot.
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Due to this fact, Celtic might brilliantly change Kuhn by playing on a swoop for Manhoef, who seems to have the potential to blow up as a scorer and a creator of targets in a greater workforce than the one he’s at the moment enjoying in.
