Adam Idah is now back at Norwich City following his excellent loan spell at Celtic in the second half of last season.
Overall, the Republic of Ireland international netted nine goals and laid on two assists in 19 appearances, including vital strikes against Hibernian, Motherwell and Rangers [Transfermarkt].
Brendan Rodgers is reportedly keen to have Idah return to Parkhead; however, he is under contract at Carrow Road until 2028, which may prove difficult to navigate around for Celtic.
Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup will assess the 23-year-old in pre-season before any decision is made on his future, but there is one trap the Hoops cannot afford to be drawn into in the race for his signature.
Celtic can’t afford to gamble on striking reinforcements
On the face of it, Idah is worth waiting for just now amid his vital contribution during 2023/24 after initially arriving to little fanfare at Parkhead.
I’m sure most Celtic fans will be in agreement that he could thrive under Rodgers next term; however, events elsewhere may amplify the need for the club to get another striker into the building swiftly.
According to reports, Hyeongyu Oh is closing in on a Celtic exit, having reached an agreement in principle on personal terms with Belgian outfit Genk.
The South Korean forward has scored 12 goals in 47 outings for the Bhoys and could net a fee of £4.2 million plus add-ons in the event of a potential sale.
That would leave Kyogo Furuhashi as the only recognised striker in Glasgow’s east end. With Idah a Norwich player, that isn’t a situation that can be allowed to fester for too long without action.
Celtic are set to kick off the new Scottish Premiership campaign on August 3rd. Meanwhile, their tour of the USA, where Rodgers’ men face off against DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea, begins two weeks earlier.
Not only will these matches provide a glamourous spectacle for Stateside supporters, but they will also act as vital preparation for competitive matches. They could give a feel for the type of opposition the reigning Scottish Premiership champions will face in the Champions League.
In short, Celtic can’t afford to wait forever on an Idah decision. There is hope among fans that a deal can be struck; nevertheless, you don’t want to fly too close to the sun in that respect, as anxiety will start to grow if a new centre-forward isn’t brought in a couple weeks out from league duty commencing.