Teenage sensation Jeremie Frimpong has impressed greatly in his first couple of outings for Celtic, so much so that many believe he should be shunted up the Parkhead pecking order above Moritz Bauer.
The pair, alongside Hatem Abd Elhamed, make up Celtic’s right-back options in an area that had become a bit of a haunted position for the club in recent years. However, this summer’s additions mean that Neil Lennon maybe even has more options that he requires.
First-choice Elhamed has actually played fewer games at right-back that both Frimpong and Bauer over the past month or so. The Israeli international has filled in at centre-back on occasion but it is notable that Lennon always seems to choose him when the big European games come around.
But when Elhamed isn’t featuring, there is now a real debate over who should take his place.
Frimpong is a Celtic player, Bauer is only on loan
At the end of the summer window it was felt that Bauer would be the obvious back-up option who could even push for a starting berth if he could re-find his Rubin Kazan form. Frimpong was seen as nothing more than an option for the future. Someone who could contribute for the club eventually but not this season.
However, the Dutchman’s early displays have arguably been better than that of Bauer. He’s looked more dynamic going forward and also kept two clean sheets in his outings. It’s worth pointing out that his two starts have come at home to Partick Thistle and Ross County while Bauer has had more testing matches at the likes of Hibernian and Livingston.
The Austrian international is on a season long loan from Stoke City and, although we’re understood to hold an option to buy, many believe that it’s not something we will exercise in time.
If that’s the case then surely it’s more beneficial to play a player on our books. Frimpong has a bright future at Celtic and the manager should bear that in mind when making his matchday decisions.
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