Celtic are firmly into the close season, which offers plenty of time for reflection ahead of the Bhoys returning to pre-season in a matter of weeks.
Brendan Rodgers’ men are next back in action on July 5th, when they travel to face Ayr United at Somerset Park in the first instalment of their friendly matches.
Once the fixture rolls around, it will be intriguing to see who features for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions as the Irishman assesses his existing squad options.
South Korean winger Hyunjun Yang gained plenty of first-team experience last campaign amid his prominent role in Celtic’s domestic double, but where will he figure going forward at Parkhead?
Conclusions from Hyunjun Yang’s first season at Celtic
Brought in from Gangwon FC last summer, the 22-year-old has shown signs of promise in a season where he had a lot to learn in a short space of time, registering one goal and three assists in 31 appearances across all competitions [Transfermarkt].
Personally, I think it is important to remember that Yang probably wasn’t forecast to play as much as he did during his first campaign, which was accelerated by Liel Abada’s injury struggles before the Israel international departed the club for Charlotte FC.
Per Fotmob, the former showed a glimmer of what he has to offer on league duty, completing 30 successful dribbles, creating 21 chances and delivering 14 successful crosses; however, it is still clear he is still working to reach his full potential.
From memory, his best performance came in the Bhoys’ 7-1 thrashing of Dundee back in February, where he left one-time Celtic target Owen Beck floundering on several occasions.
Nevertheless, following a promising burst of form where he put up back-to-back assists against the Dee and Motherwell the week previous, he received a harsh red card at Heart of Midlothian, which ultimately led to him slowly losing his slot on the flank.
Nicolas Kuhn started to seize the initiative before James Forrest arrived on the scene as a starter, playing a major role in Celtic claiming the domestic double after undergoing a renaissance.
Hyunjun Yang’s role at Celtic in 2024/25
Competition for places in the wide areas at Celtic is vast, with Daizen Maeda, Luis Palma, Forrest, Kuhn and Yang all vying for places.
Conceivably, there may also be a scenario where Rodgers adds to his pool during the summer window, and that could alter the South Korean’s trajectory at Parkhead, though pre-season is likely to be an important vessel that could help him re-affirm his capabilities to the manager, who is a fan of his work.
He stated on Yang’s growth back in March: “He has been working on his overall game, his understanding out on the field. His analysis behind the scenes. Getting his upper body strength because it’s a physical game here and in Europe.
“Whatever league you are in in Britain, it’s a physically demanding league. He has just grown throughout the season, and it’s so good to see.”
Expectation for players to succeed at Celtic is so high that as fans, there can be a tendency to forget those individuals put in a tonne of work behind the scenes to try and acclimatise on and off the pitch, which can take time.
Yang has illustrated he has the makings of an exciting player; nevertheless, in a month or two, supporters may have a better indication of the role he could play in 2024/25.