Kasper Dolberg looks like he is back on the market again. The Denmark forward was a serious target for Celtic before, but what has happened since changes the narrative.
Celtic looked at Dolberg when Brendan Rodgers needed another forward late in the window. That interest made sense at the time because the squad needed depth, experience and a proven senior option.
But football moves quickly, and transfer targets should not be judged on reputation alone. Celtic now have more information than they had when Dolberg was still at Anderlecht. That is why the latest Ajax development should not be treated as an invitation. It should be treated as a warning.
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Will Celtic regret not signing Kasper Dolberg?
He was in the palm of their hands!
Dolberg’s Ajax return has not strengthened his Celtic case
Reports have claimed that Dolberg is now surplus to requirements at Ajax following a disappointing season in the Eredivisie.
Dolberg rejected an £8m Celtic move before returning to Amsterdam. Ajax then gave him the move he wanted, but that decision has not pushed his career forward in the way he needed.
Five goals in 24 appearances is not a return that should make Celtic rush back to the table. Starting only 12 times, playing backup to the experienced Wout Weghorst also points to his role in the squad.
Celtic cannot turn availability into a transfer plan
Former Hoops star Pierre van Hooijdonk believes that Ajax won’t recoup what they paid for the 28-year-old, but even the temptation of a cut-price deal shouldn’t lure Celtic into trying again.
Celtic were not Dolberg’s chosen destination when the pressure was on. That does not mean the club should hold a grudge. It means they should be clear-eyed about where they stood in the player’s priorities.
A striker is high on the shopping list for the Bhoys. However, other targets should be explored as opposed to going for someone that wasn’t keen in the first place.
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