Lawrence Shankland has given Celtic supporters a fair reason to revisit last summer’s transfer debate. His goals at Hearts stand out even more because Celtic’s own centre-forward options have not delivered enough this season.
Charlie Mulgrew’s argument is not difficult to understand. Celtic have needed more reliable output through the middle, and Shankland has continued to score goals in Scottish football.
Mulgrew said he did not know why Celtic “never had a nibble”, on the Go Radio Football Show, for Shankland and argued he would be their “best striker right now”. However, the 30-year-old hasn’t been, and never will be the answer for the Hoops.
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Celtic need a striker for the next cycle, not just the next fix
Celtic are trying to rebuild the forward line, and the rest of the squad as part of a major rebuild.
At 30, Shankland would not represent a signing for development, resale value, or a player with his best years ahead of him. They would be signing immediate output for two or three seasons at most.
That is not automatically a bad thing. This team needs players who can help them win now, and no serious squad can be built only around potential.
Martin O’Neill said he would like Celtic to “make room for younger players coming through” while also stressing that Celtic still have to win.
The mistake would not be ignoring one productive 30-year-old. The mistake would be failing to find the younger, sharper striker profile Celtic actually need for the next stage of the rebuild.
Shankland’s goals make the argument tempting
It’s easy to say that the Hoops should have gone for Shankland because he has scored 17 goals in all competitions this season.
The comparison is uncomfortable for Celtic. Aside from Daizen Maeda’s 12 goals in all competitions, none of the Bhoys’ current forward options have hit double figures.
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That is why the debate has weight. Shankland is not being discussed because of reputation alone, he is being discussed because his numbers are better than the output Celtic have had from natural strikers. That only gets you so far, and his well-known links to Rangers as a boyhood fan also weigh against him.
Sure, his records can be admired, but he is not the answer when it comes to leading the line.
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