Louie Barry told he fits Celtic mold as ex-Hoops star offers scouting insight

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The need for a new striker at Celtic has been expedited this week with Kyogo halfway out the exit door.

The Japanese frontman will join Rennes in a deal believed to be worth around £10million to the Scottish Premiership giants.

Kyogo has already arrived in France to make the move happen with just the delayed return of Jota slowing proceedings due to Storm Eowyn preventing the winger’s travel.

It means Adam Idah and Johnny Kenny are the two strikers available to Brendan Rodgers with the January deadline looming.

Mathias Kvistgaarden remains on the Celtic shortlist at Brondby albeit they face Frankfurt opposition for the Danish attacker.

• READ MORE: Fabrizio Romano shares what Rennes have told him about Kyogo Furuhashi Celtic deal

Steven Pressley says Louie Barry fits the Celtic mold

But there is another player who has been linked with a move to Parkhead this window in Aston Villa’s Louie Barry.

Celts reportedly offered £5million for Barry with a further £5m in add-ons as well as a buy-back clause which would have allowed the former Stockport loanee to move to Glasgow this month.

That was rejected by the Premier League club, though, as the Champions League opponents hope to sign the 21-year-old to a new contract before loaning him back out again.

There remains interest from Rodgers and his scouting staff and they really will have to accelerate their move should they wish to get it done before February 3.

And now former Celtic defender Steven Pressley has revealed that he feels Barry fits the mold of a Hoops player.

Celts could realistically, Elvis says, buy the attacker for a low(ish) fee and eventually develop the youngster into a top talent.

Louie Barry’s loan stats amid Celtic transfer interest

Which is the precise model the club have always looked to adopt in the transfer market.

“They’ve been linked also with a young lad who has been doing really well in the lower leagues in England,” Pressley – who now works for Brentford as their head of individual player development – told the Warm Up.

“I’ve actually seen him on a number of occasions.

“I think (Louie) Barry would be more of a Celtic signing, just in the respect of the model about bringing in players of a certain level, developing them with potential sell-on at big gains.

“That’s probably looking at him, he fits that mold.”