Celtic and Brendan Rodgers’ search for added attacking quality goes on.
The new Premiership season is less than a month away, when Celtic will face St Mirren on Sunday, August 3.
But you sense the champions of Scotland are still short in the final third, with Kyogo Furuhashi yet to be replaced, Jota’s long-term injury, and Nicolas Kuhn recently joining Como.
One man who has been linked to Celtic since the winter is Aston Villa’s rising star, Louie Barry.
Louie Barry set to leave Aston Villa on loan after Celtic interest
Only a few weeks ago, Barry was heading to Hull City on a permanent transfer, but the deal fell through due to the Championship side being put under a transfer embargo.
67 Hail Hail urged Celtic to nab Barry’s talents, given that he suits everything Rodgers wants in the final third, and the situation with Hull.
According to Sky journalist Lyall Thomas, Barry was still on ‘Celtic’s radar’, but he is now set to join Sheffield United instead.
‘Aston Villa’s Louie Barry is expected to join Sheffield United on a season-long loan,’ wrote Sky Sports.
‘Everything has been agreed between the clubs and the player, and he is set to join up with the Blades next week. Barry worked under Ruben Selles at Hull last season.
‘Barry has had interest from other clubs, including Celtic and Hull City, who signed him on loan in January and played him four times before he suffered an injury.
‘Celtic had also made an inquiry in January for the 22-year-old winger, who is a product of Villa’s academy.’
Who plays on the left wing for Celtic?
Is the obvious answer Daizen Maeda because of Jota’s injury? You also have to factor in that a senior striker hasn’t been signed yet.
When you look at Adam Idah, summer capture Callum Osmand, and Johnny Kenny, you probably prefer Maeda down the middle.
That would then leave a void on the left flank, so on top of a number nine, another attacker down Kieran Tierney’s side is also needed.
These could be the options:
- Daizen Maeda
- Johnny Kenny
- Isak Jansson (linked target)
- Michel-Ange Balikwisha (linked target)
- Sondre Orjasaeter (linked target)
- Benjamin Nygren (played eight games on the left wing last season)
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