‘What’s the point’ – Andy Halliday questions Celtic summer transfer plan with nod to forgotten man

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Celtic made a mistake in the January transfer window when they failed to properly replace Kyogo.

The Japanese striker left for £10million and fans were shocked that the club didn’t sign a hitman to pick up the 30-year-old’s slack.

It was a frustration, too, for Brendan Rodgers who had to swap Daizen Maeda at times to play through the middle. That, however, actually turned out to be a stroke of genius.

Maeda has equaled records at Celtic and is now a player of the year shoo-in while Jota and Nicolas Kuhn are still tearing it up in the wide areas. So Andy Halliday believes Celts are as well bringing in a new wide player as opposed a striker to keep Maeda flourishing where he is.

The Motherwell midfielder also nodded towards another Hoops striker who has been unable to challenge either Maeda or Adam Idah this season in Johnny Kenny.

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Halliday says Celtic should prioritise another transfer position

The Irishman, 21, has made his first few appearances for the first-team this season and Halliday believes he will be hoping the club don’t go down the route of bringing in another striker competitor.

“What’s the point?” Andy Halliday posed on Open Goal. “Johnny Kenny must be thinking, ‘What am I doing?’ You know what I mean

“‘If I go on loan to Shamrock Rovers, got 20 goals in six months, come back, and I’m sitting as third-choice striker.

“I’m probably more leaning the same as you [Si Ferry]. I think if you’re going to bring someone in, I think you bring in another winger.”

Daizen Maeda’s Celtic stats have quietened summer striker demand

Rodgers has had plenty of strikers on his shortlist of possible signings with a late loan move in January not quite coming to fruition.

Mathias Kvistgaarden also remains high on the recruitment list but the Brondby attacker will likely cost a pretty penny.

Kenny, meanwhile, did well with Shamrock on his recent loan and could offer a challenge to countryman Idah should Rodgers opt to move Maeda back out to the wing where he has become comfortable.

But the 27-year-old continues to show his talent this season with an array of different goals and Maeda promised a hattrick in his next outing.