Celtic want to enhance their choices within the huge areas throughout the summer season switch window forward of the 2025/26 marketing campaign getting underway.
The Hoops are already closing in on their first addition on the flanks, as reporter Anthony Joseph has claimed that the membership have agreed a price of £1.7m to signal FC Nordsjaelland attacker Benjamin Nygren.
The Sweden worldwide, who scored 15 targets in 30 league matches for the Danish membership this season, is ready to reach to compete for a spot on the appropriate wing, however the membership are additionally taking a look at a left-sided addition.
Journalist Sacha Tavolieri has claimed that talks are ongoing between Celtic and Michel-Ange Balikwisha over a possible transfer from Belgian facet Royal Antwerp.
The Belgian reporter added that the 24-year-old winger is eager to make the transfer to Parkhead this summer season, nevertheless it stays to be seen whether or not or not phrases can be agreed between all events to make it occur.
Celtic want to usher in a brand new left-winger after Jota suffered a long-term knee damage within the second half of the 2024/25 marketing campaign, and there are causes for and towards a transfer for Balikwisha.
The Celtic case for Michel-Ange Balikwisha
One of many the explanation why Celtic could need to signal the Belgian ahead is as a result of he has the potential to ship high quality as each a scorer and a creator of targets on the high finish of the pitch.
The appropriate-footed flanker has produced 29 targets and 17 assists in 141 appearances in all competitions for Royal Antwerp up to now, which incorporates 4 targets and three assists in ten video games throughout the Professional League play-off spherical this season.
Balikwisha has proven that he has the potential to make a huge impact within the ultimate third at an excellent stage in Belgium’s top-flight, which is why Celtic could really feel that he may hit the bottom operating in Scotland.
On the age of 24, the Belgian ahead can also be at an excellent age the place he nonetheless has time to develop and enhance, however just isn’t inexperienced, which may make him a perfect signing.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s damage historical past | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Season | Accidents | Days missed | Video games missed |
24/25 | 3 | 205 | 29 |
23/24 | 1 | 49 | 10 |
22/23 | 2 | 103 | 14 |
21/22 | 2 | 51 | 10 |
Stats through Transfermarkt | |||
As you possibly can see within the desk above, although, there are additionally causes to be involved a few potential deal for the winger, as he has missed 63 matches by damage within the final 4 seasons mixed, and because of this the attacker might not be out there week-in-week-out.
Balikwisha has additionally solely performed greater than 17 video games in a single position, as a left winger, in his profession, which doesn’t recommend that he’s supremely versatile throughout the frontline.
Celtic may, nonetheless, land a good higher winger signing this summer season by shifting for Blackburn Rovers dynamo Tyrhys Dolan over a swoop for Balikwisha.
Why Celtic ought to signal Tyrhys Dolan
The Hoops are reportedly within the operating to land the 23-year-old attacker on a free switch, as his contract at Ewood Park is because of expire on the finish of this month.
Which means he could be considerably cheaper than Balikwisha, who has a reported price ticket of £5m, and that might enable the Scottish Premiership champions to save cash to spend in different areas of the pitch.
Not solely would Dolan be a less expensive various, the English ahead would additionally arrive as a participant who’s extra more likely to be a dependable choice for Brendan Rodgers from a health perspective, as he has not suffered any notable accidents in his profession, as per Transfermarkt.
The 23-year-old ace, who has racked up 210 appearances for Blackburn already, is sturdy and might be relied upon to be out there most weeks as Celtic compete throughout 4 competitions, as he has been used to 46-game seasons within the Championship.
Dolan, as soon as hailed as “excellent” by supervisor John Eustace, additionally has the positional flexibility to make him a helpful choice even when Jota is again match. He has performed 25 video games or extra in 4 completely different positions all through his profession, and is able to taking part in on the appropriate or left flank, as an attacking midfielder, and as a centre-forward.
This means that he’s extra more likely to be a viable choice in different positions than Balikwisha, who’s predominantly a left-winger, could be, which is one more reason why he could possibly be a extra invaluable signing for Rodgers shifting ahead.
24/25 Championship | Tyrhys Dolan per 90 | Percentile rank vs wingers |
|---|---|---|
Objectives | 0.17 | Prime 45% |
Shot on course proportion | 44% | Prime 11% |
Non-penalty xG per shot | 0.13 | Prime 22% |
Objectives per shot | 0.12 | Prime 33% |
Objective creating actions | 0.48 | Prime 11% |
Defensive actions resulting in purpose | 0.06 | Prime 2% |
Assists | 0.17 | Prime 37% |
Stats through FBref | ||
As you possibly can see within the desk above, Dolan additionally caught the attention together with his contributions on the high finish of the pitch within the second tier of English soccer, rating extremely in a bunch of key attacking metrics.
He ended the marketing campaign with a return of seven targets, seven ‘large probabilities’ created, and 6 assists, in comparison with Balikwisha’s haul of 4 targets, seven ‘large probabilities’ created, and three assists.
These statistics, with each his purpose and help numbers in addition to his underlying information, recommend that the potential is there for the potential free agent signing to ship high quality as a scorer and a creator of targets for Celtic.
Total, Dolan could be a greater signing for the Scottish giants than Balikwisha as a result of he would arrive at Parkehad for much less cash, provide extra reliability together with his health, provide extra versatility with the positions that he can play, and provide the same risk in entrance of purpose.
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It’s now right down to Rodgers to push the board to strike an settlement with Dolan to carry him in on a free switch as a substitute of pursuing a big-money deal for Balikwisha this summer season.
