Former Celtic striker Dariusz Dziekanowski has tipped fringe man Patryk Klimala to play a big role for the club next season.
Dziekanowski played for Celtic between 1989 and 1992 and left a fan-favourite. He isn’t the only Pole to have captured the imagination of Celtic fans either. Artur Boruc is still an iconic figure amongst supporters to this day, whilst Maciej Zurawski was worth his weight in goals.
Klimala is looking to become the next Celtic Park Polish success story. However since signing back in January 2020, chances have been limited. Neil Lennon brought him in but failed to give him a run in the team. John Kennedy, meanwhile, featured him in his first game vs Aberdeen, but didn’t play him in any of the next two fixtures.
It leaves Klimala with only 28 appearances and three goals to his name since signing for Celtic [Transfermarkt]. However, despite his struggles, he’s been tipped by Dziekanowski to shine this summer for the new manager and make an impact next season.
“Could be a fresh start”
As quoted by the Daily Record, Dariusz said: “There will be a lot of changes at Celtic this summer with a new manager coming in. He will have his own ideas and I would think he’d want to bring in new players to lift the team. But it could be a fresh start for Patryk. It has been difficult for him at Celtic so far but this could be an opportunity for him to show what he can do.
“This is a big summer for Patryk and his Celtic career. It could be make or break for him. I expect Odsonne Edouard to be sold for big money at the end of the season so the door could be open for him. No doubt Celtic will be thinking about buying another striker but he should see this as a chance for him to save the club some money by becoming the main forward.
“I feel for him as it’s been a difficult spell for him. He would have wanted to have played more games than he has done so far.But you also have to take in account the circumstances. He arrived in the January and football stopped just a few weeks later. It was also such a big season for Celtic. He’s a young player and there maybe were not the same opportunities to try things when there was so much at stake.”
Celtic favourite Dariusz Dziekanowski approves; Klimala will likely be given a big opportunity in pre-season
It’s clear we have a problem up front going into the summer. That feels bizarre to say given the fact we have four available strikers. However, Odsonne Edouard is surely going to depart given he’s into the final 12 months of his contract.
Albian Ajeti and Leigh Griffiths, meanwhile, haven’t impressed. Unfortunately for Klimala, he can also be thrown into that pile. As sad as it is to say, he’s another who simply hasn’t made his mark this season despite being given opportunities.
A run of successive games in the first-team has evaded him of course. Klimala’s chances have been broken with neither Lennon nor Kennedy deciding to put any real level of faith in him.
But he’ll be one of three strikers given the chance to show what he can do this summer. Almost as if he’s getting first dibs on Edouard’s spot when he moves on. But at the same time, he’ll have tos how something special.
Celtic fans will want a big name or a player with similar potential to Edouard to replace him. They’ll want his replacement to be someone that fits the position and has a lot about him. Klimala has yet to prove that.
And that’s why this summer will be for him, just like many in the Celtic dressing room, one big audition.
In other news, Celtic are reportedly keen on signing Diego Laxalt this summer.
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