Celtic’s January transfer rumour mill has started its engines.
Yes, over six weeks remain before the winter transfer re-opens, but that doesn’t stop talk from starting well in advance.
After all, Christmas is still over a month away, yet many people have already got their trees and lights up.
It’s going to be interesting to see the road Celtic go down because they probably don’t need to do anything outstanding.
Brendan Rodgers’ side are flying in all competitions and there is very little to worry about.
But that’s from an incoming standpoint, you question just how far Celtic will push the boat out because the starting XI picks itself.
However, with the Bhoys flying high, including in the Champions League, it doesn’t stop talk about players attracting interest from elsewhere.
And, after Matt O’Riley left Celtic for Brighton in the summer, the fear will be that another big name will follow him out of the door.
Marvin Bartley slams suggestion Nicolas Kuhn would leave Celtic for Brentford
Nicolas Kuhn has transformed in Celtic colours this season and it’s a welcome change in form for everyone involved.
It’s well-documented as to why he struggled when he first moved to Glasgow in January, but he looks and is playing like a completely different animal now.
Understandably so, that has started talk of Kuhn’s long-term future at the club, including if offers will come in during the January window.
When it was suggested that Kuhn could leave for Brentford for £30 million, Marvin Bartley was quick to shut it down and stated that the player himself wouldn’t want to go anywhere.
Plus, he told Clyde 1 that ‘no disrespect’ but he wouldn’t swap Champions League football for a relegation battle.
“He has been brilliant,” said Bartley. “£30m from Brentford, I don’t think Celtic would accept that now. I don’t think Kuhn would want to go, if I am honest.
“I think they would want to wait until the end of the season. They would probably get more money for him. The way he is going this season, I think he is only going to get better. He is still a really young man.
“But, for him as well, when you come into a football club and you struggle at the start, we know why, he lost all the weight etc… And this season, he has been absolutely fantastic. That big move, financially, is going to come. There is no doubt about it at his age. I just think he will sit at Celtic and enjoy football at least until the summer – if he does get into the national team, then it will take him to the next level. You don’t give that up (Champions League) do go to, no disrespect, Brentford and a relegation battle.”
Kuhn’s stats for Celtic
Even if a team puts big money on the table for Kuhn in January, there is no sense in selling him.
Celtic’s final Champions League game of this newly-formed group stage is at the end of January away at Aston Villa.
The champions are set to, at the very least, reach the play-off stages, and then there is a chance Kuhn earns a Germany call-up.
Added to winning more trophies and when you take all of that into account, then it will help increase his value, but it will only happen if he stays put.
WhoScored has rated Kuhn’s performances this season at 7.56, including a pretty impressive rating of 7.40 for his European performances.
| Tournament | Apps | Mins | Goals | Assists | SpG | PS% | MotM | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premiership | 8(2) | 656 | 4 | 6 | 2.8 | 74.7 | 2 | 7.63 |
| Champions League | 4 | 289 | 2 | 1 | 0.8 | 72.4 | 1 | 7.40 |
| Total / Average | 14 | 945 | 6 | 7 | 2.2 | 74.1 | 3 | 7.56 |
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