Celtic have made a quiet start to the transfer window and are now the only Scottish Premiership club not to have announced a confirmed signing.
The involvement of prospective targets at major international tournaments could be one explanation, though that is just a theory that doesn’t have any substance behind it that fans know of.
Either way, reports linking Celtic with players from all walks of life have done the rounds over the last few weeks. It is open season for media outlets in this regard, so I wouldn’t believe absolutely everything you read.
Nevertheless, Motherwell striker Theo Bair has been mentioned in connection with the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, provoking one of the more intriguing potential transfer stories of the summer.
Theo Bair and his unexpected rise to prominence
Brendan Rodgers is in the market for a frontman this summer; however, there would’ve been more than a few surprised Celtic fans when Bair’s name was put forward as the latest to enter the hat.
Last campaign, the 24-year-old did enjoy a productive campaign in front of goal, registering 15 goals and six assists in 41 appearances under Stuart Kettlewell [Transfermarkt].
Now, from a football niche perspective, there is an undercurrent to why this link is quite intriguing. In 2022/23, the Canada international spent the year at St Johnstone, scoring once in 34 games.
As seen above, Motherwell filmed a mini-documentary about the player earlier this year titled ‘Theo Bair // From zero to hero, via the analysis suite’, and it is available on YouTube, something that was brought to my attention at the time while scrolling on social media.
After watching the video, they go into detail on how Bair prepares for every match with the help of their meticulous analysis team while also shining a light on his previous struggles to hit the target.
They focus on visualisation and split-second decisions and use the example of some of the world’s best strikers—Victor Boniface and Benjamin Sesko, among others— to try and improve all facets of his game.
Admittedly, this is something a bit different, but the Fir Park outfit have clearly got a tune out of the former Vancouver Whitecaps forward, and it is a credit to him for working hard to turn his career around in Scotland.
Of course, life at Motherwell and in the building at Celtic are two very different environments, with the latter involving so much more pressure to deliver in crunch moments.
Regardless, his core statistics on Scottish Premiership duty last term were impressive. Per Fotmob, he took on 73 shots, 31 of which were on target, and he also created 35 chances, illustrating that his work on linking the play has started to pay off.
This isn’t an endorsement for Celtic to sign Bair, it is just important to point out that he does seem to be on an upward trajectory, making him an attractive proposition for several clubs.
Theo Bair’s thoughts on his future amid Celtic links
Speaking about his future while at Copa America with Canada, Bair has cited the need to be challenged physically and he is of the belief he could cut it at a high level.
He explained: “If a transfer were to come, I want to go as high as possible and test myself. I think I need to be tested physically. I need to go and prove myself right: I believe I can score at the highest levels and I don’t want this season to be a one-off.”
It would be a surprise if Celtic were to acquire his services this window; nevertheless, it does indicate the club isn’t averse to looking at the domestic scene for talent that could grow at Parkhead.
Bair is an interesting player that Motherwell manager Kettlewell saw something in when a lot of others didn’t; that takes bravery, and the 40-year-old deserves immense credit for taking a chance on the striker.
It would be viewed as a signing with risks for Celtic, so it is up to the Hoops to determine whether they think it is one worth taking.