The transfer window officially opens tomorrow and Celtic have several recruitment priorities in mind under Brendan Rodgers.
Arrivals are hot on the agenda in several positions, with a goalkeeper said to be a main priority after Joe Hart retired from professional football.
Nevertheless, the striking berths at Celtic could shoot further up the list if Hyeongyu Oh is to leave amid interest from Belgian outfit Genk.
Earlier today, we told that the Bhoys could net upwards of £3.5 million, including add-ons, in the event of a potential sale; meanwhile, Sky Sports claim the fee could be as high as £4 million, so it seems there is a profit to be made on the £2.5 million the club invested for the South Korean in January 2023.
Seemingly, this is a plausible deal all both parties, but it may also accelerate Celtic’s recruitment activity this summer, depending on whether an agreement can be completed.
Kyogo Furuhashi would be the only striker at Celtic
Granted, Oh became a peripheral figure at Celtic in the second half of last campaign, barely featuring due to the emergence of Adam Idah, who is now back at Norwich City.
Despite this, he has shown flashes of ability in green and white, registering 12 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions [Transfermarkt].
For some, receiving a financially advantageous offer for his services may have come as a surprise. Regardless, he is still only 23 and retains clear potential, so maybe it isn’t a stretch to envisage him getting his career back on track at Genk.
Either way, from a Celtic point of view, this would leave Kyogo Furuhashi as the only striker in the building, which isn’t a situation you want to have for too much longer for obvious reasons. Soon enough, the Hoops will return to pre-season, notoriously a crucial bedding-in period for new arrivals.
Mitigating circumstances such as EURO 2024 or in Republic of Ireland international Idah’s case, having a new manager keen to assess his capabilities despite the Bhoys being keen to force through a move may get in the way, though this isn’t a predicament anyone will be keen to drag on.
One does wonder if the club have already planned for this eventuality. It has been no secret that a striker is on the agenda this summer, so could fans now be starting to see a chain of events that could lead to that arrival? It is too soon to say, but time will soon be of the essence.
Celtic need to recruit wisely in the forward areas
Idah would be an ideal capture, wouldn’t he? He is young, dynamic, physical and has already proved his worth, scoring a number of important goals on the way to claiming a domestic double.
However, Norwich may resist the temptation to sell him, leaving Celtic back where they started heading into the new campaign.
Whoever comes in to bolster the attack needs to be a genuine competitor to Furuhashi. The 29-year-old has been a fantastic asset for the club, but he did fall slightly below his lofty expectations in 2023/24, netting 19 times in 50 appearances.
Having someone to compensate for any shortfall is vital at Parkhead, especially factoring in the drawn-out nature of competing on multiple fronts.
Oh may be in the process of saying his goodbyes at Celtic; nevertheless, it is time for the reigning Scottish champions to act swiftly in the market.