And the wait for a new striker at Celtic is finally over – but is it the right one?
Six months after selling Kogo Furuhashi to Rennes, and before signing Adam Ida, the Hoops may have settled on a new number nine, with the capture of Czech sharpshooter Tomas Tsvankala on the horizon.
Shin Yamada, Kelechi Iheanacho and Callum Osmando all joined in the summer, but the trio have scored just four goals in that time, while 22-year-old Johnny Kenny has been hot and cold with just six goals all season.
Kvankala, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Turkish side Antalyaspor, left after a difficult spell at parent club Borussia Mönchengladbach, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to make a real splash at Parkhead.
The 25-year-old’s stay in Glasgow, where he is set to sign his first loan deal, is likely to be short-lived if things do not go to plan, with supporters potentially having to wait until the summer for ideal business to be completed.
Celtic target Premier League star in future Parkhead deal
By all accounts, Kvankala is on his way to Scotland for a medical and the big-name striker is set to stay with the club until the end of the season, although Celtic have a buy option as part of the deal.
The eight-cap international follows fellow loan signing Julian Araujo and has pushed Martin O’Neill up the pecking order this month, with the Scottish champions still in contention for the Premiership title after Wilfried Nancy’s 33-day disaster.
With a permanent successor for the Frenchman yet to be named, it is perhaps unsurprising that Parkhead bosses are primarily pursuing short-term deals in January, with more long-term targets no doubt in the works for the summer.
Indeed, as reported by Football Insider, Celtic are set to enter the race to sign Scotland captain Andy Robertson, with a number of European clubs also said to be keeping an eye on his situation.
The former Dundee United player’s contract with current club Liverpool expires this summer and he is certain to leave for free when his existing contract expires in June.
It is worth noting that the Hoops had a pre-contract agreement in place to sign Robertson’s international colleague Kieran Tierney from Arsenal a year ago, before Robertson’s eventual arrival in the summer.
Why Robertson is a much better deal than Kvankala
All eyes are, of course, on Kvankala’s latest signing with Celtic, but the jury is still out on whether he will succeed in Scotland after his disastrous results in Germany in recent years.
He has scored just eight goals in 54 games for Gladbach, while his recent spell in the Turkish Super Lig has also been poor, with just two goals in 13 competitive games.
In truth, Celtic officials are simply banking on the 6-foot-4 striker, who has scored 24 goals in 49 games for the Czech side, replicating the form he has shown in the past with the likes of Sparta Prague.
Kvankara’s senior career record | ||
|---|---|---|
club | game | the goal |
Gladbach | 54 | 8 |
sparta prague | 49 | twenty four |
apple tree | 35 | 10 |
Slavoj Vysehrad | twenty two | 13 |
Antalyaspor | 13 | 2 |
Silesia FC Opava | 10 | 0 |
Statistics via Transfermarkt | ||
Given O’Neill’s recent woes, this trade appears to be a real risk now that O’Neill and others cannot afford to make another mistake in the market.
Robertson, on the other hand, may not arrive until later this year, but he should not be seen as any form of gamble, especially given his impressive success at Anfield so far.
The rambunctious full-back was snapped up from Hull City for a whopping £7 million in 2017 and has since become a mainstay for the Merseyside outfit, winning two Premier League titles, a Champions League and a host of other prizes.
Described as a “legend” in the eyes of teammate Milos Kerkes, Robertson has made 363 appearances for the Reds and has provided 68 assists, putting him second only to former colleague Trent Alexander-Arnold on the list of top assists in Premier League history.
His Premiership experience at Dundee United was also impressive, with 11 goals and an assist in just 44 games for Tannadice, and the experienced defender will seamlessly integrate into life at Parkhead if a deal can be agreed.
Yes, the Hoops already boast the aforementioned Tierney on the left wing, but with the 28-year-old’s fitness being an issue of late, having a true rival and competitor would be a worthwhile move heading into next season.
The availability of Robertson for free ensures such a deal is even easier, and the former Queen’s Park player is proving better than ever at a time when clubs are taking new risks on relatively unknown players like Kvankala.
