Jordan James will be available in the summer when his loan deal with Leicester City expires, and Celtic should be all over it.
James has been the only standout in a devastating campaign that has seen Leicester suffer back-to-back relegations.
His performances in a box-to-box role have caught the eye of many and, as Celtic prepare to revamp their midfield, he should be on the Hoops’ radar.
Finish the sentence: My dream Callum McGregor replacement is —-
Tell us below 🔽
Jordan James provides the exact output Celtic are missing
James’ numbers show a midfielder already producing the level of output that would immediately change that balance.
He has delivered 11 goals from midfield via FotMob alongside four assists and 53 chances created, supported by underlying figures of 4.59 xG and 4.45 xA across 2,099 minutes and a 7.00 rating.
Those numbers are delivered from a player listed as a defensive midfielder, which underlines that his output is not role-dependent but part of his overall profile.
Placed into Celtic’s current midfield group, that return would sit directly behind the leading scorer, Benjamin Nygren, and well above the rest, creating a second consistent source of goals rather than a steep drop-off.
It would also take some of the strain off Callum McGregor in a defensive capacity and, if he can produce those numbers in a side that has been relegated, imagine what he could put up with the Hoops.
Celtic’s midfield scoring lacks depth beyond Nygren
Celtic’s midfield numbers show a clear imbalance, with one player carrying the bulk of the goal output while the rest contribute at a much lower level.
Nygren has 15 goals, but the next highest, Arne Engels sits on just four goals including penalties, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and McGregor on two goals each and Luke McCowan contributing no league goals.
This is not a marginal gap. It is a structural issue where attacking responsibility is concentrated rather than shared across the unit.
When midfield output drops off this sharply, it limits variation in attacking patterns and places consistent pressure on one source of goals.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
