Celtic didn’t take pleasure in a profitable and to the summer time switch window on paper after they failed to usher in the centre-forward recruits that they needed.
The Hoops needed to usher in two new strikers, as they allowed Adam Idah to signal for Swansea, however did not signal any earlier than they snapped Kelechi Iheanacho up on a free switch the day after deadline day.
Such was the extent of frustration from sections of the fanbase, Celtic felt they wanted to place out a prolonged assertion explaining why they didn’t land their targets and why they didn’t make investments earlier than the Champions League qualifying conflict with Kairat.
That’s all up to now, now, although, and supporters might find yourself trying again on the summer time switch window extra favourably if a few of the signings proceed to shine on the pitch.
For instance, the signing of Sebastian Tounekti from Hammarby on deadline day is already trying like a implausible piece of enterprise by the Hoops.
The Scottish giants reportedly splashed out a price of £5.2m to signal the winger from the Swedish facet, and that appears like a cut price on early proof.
Why Sebastian Tounekti appears like a cut price signing for Celtic
The pace at which Tounekti has settled into life in Glasgow has been astonishing, as he appears like he has been taking part in in Scottish soccer and in hoops for years.
His performances in coaching should have been as spectacular as what the ahead has proven on the pitch, as a result of Brendan Rodgers was prepared to chuck him straight into the beginning line-up in opposition to Kilmarnock within the Scottish Premiership.
Tounekti signed for the membership on deadline day, jetted away to play for Tunisia, then returned to begin in opposition to Kilmarnock after only some coaching periods together with his new teammates.
Vs Kilmarnock | Sebastian Tounekti | Michel-Ange Balikwisha |
---|---|---|
Minutes | 88 | 58 |
Touches | 67 | 34 |
Photographs | 5 | 0 |
Possibilities created | 4 | 1 |
Dribbles accomplished | 5/9 | 0/1 |
Duels received | 6 | 1 |
Stats by way of Sofascore |
That’s the reason his efficiency, which was considerably higher than fellow new signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s, was significantly spectacular on his league debut.
The electrical winger was a relentless risk down the left flank for the Hoops together with his willingness to drive at and tackle defenders with the ball at his toes, as illustrated by his 5 accomplished dribbles compared to Balikwisha’s none.
That spectacular show from the Tunisia worldwide left him undroppable for the League Cup conflict with Partick Thistle, no matter the truth that they had been up in opposition to Championship opposition and will have rested him.
Tounekti left supporters excited to see extra of him and Rodgers obliged. The winger didn’t let him down. He grabbed his first aim for the membership in a 4-0 win for the Hoops on Sunday.
The 23-year-old dynamo, after simply two appearances for the membership, already appears like a cut price signing due to the standard that he has produced on the wing.
He additionally has the left wing place locked down and seems undroppable on present kind, which can have a knock-on impact for different gamers within the squad.
The Celtic star who at present appears like the most important loser from Tounekti’s speedy rise to stardom at Parkhead is the 2024/25 Premiership Participant of the Season, Daizen Maeda.
Why Maeda is the most important loser of Tounekti’s Celtic kind
As aforementioned, the Tunisian star has shone on the left flank for the Hoops of their final two video games, which implies that the place is his for now.
In the meantime, Kelechi Iheanacho has delivered a last-minute winner, albeit from the penalty spot, and an help in his first two appearances for the membership as a centre-forward, which was clearly a place that the membership needed to strengthen in.
This has left Maeda in a little bit of a clumsy spot, as a result of he primarily performed as a left-winger final season and has primarily performed as a centre-forward this season, per Transfermarkt.
The Japan worldwide, was hailed as “phenomenal” and “constructed like a brick” by former Rangers boss Barry Ferguson, delivered an unquestionably excellent return of 33 objectives and 12 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, while beginning as a left winger in 36 of these matches.
Nevertheless, it stays to be seen whether or not that season was only a flash within the pan for Maeda. He solely managed ten objectives and 4 assists in 36 video games within the 2023/24 marketing campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has not a blinding begin to the present time period.
Maeda (Premiership) | 24/25 | 25/26 |
---|---|---|
Appearances | 34 | 5 |
Objectives | 16 | 1 |
Objectives per recreation | 0.5 | 0.2 |
Large probabilities missed | 17 | 2 |
Conversion fee | 28% | 20% |
Minutes per aim | 160 | 372 |
Stats by way of Sofascore |
As you may see within the desk above, the Japanese ahead has solely scored as soon as within the first 5 video games of the present league season, lacking two ‘large probabilities’ on the way in which.
Maeda’s inconsistency in entrance of aim all through his Celtic profession, taking his 11 objectives from 49 matches from the 2022/23 season into consideration, means that supporters mustn’t anticipate him to attain 33 objectives once more this 12 months.
For this reason it shouldn’t be out of the query for Rodgers to unleash the 27-year-old star in a distinct position, with no consideration winger with Iheanacho via the center and Tounekti on the left.
Maeda has began 22 matches with no consideration winger in his Celtic profession, per Transfermarkt, which exhibits that he’s able to taking part in out huge on that facet of the pitch.
So, for now, the Japan worldwide seems to be the most important loser of Tounekti’s rise to stardom as a result of the reigning Premiership Participant of the 12 months might should play in a distinct place that’s not his favoured one to be within the beginning line-up within the brief time period.