Celtic hold talks over exciting Kyogo replacement

Celtic have been on fire in the Scottish Premiership so far this season and appear to be on course to land a fourth straight title in the division, and a second under Brendan Rodgers since his return.

The Hoops secured a 4-1 win over Ross County away from home on Saturday, with Kyogo Furuhashi scoring twice and Arne Engels and Luke McCowan getting themselves on the scoresheet.

It was a result that initially sent them 18 points clear at the top of the table, before Rangers cut the gap to 15 points on Sunday, and the Bhoys have a healthy lead to hold onto in the second half of the season.

This means that the Hoops could afford to concentrate their efforts on getting as far as possible in the Champions League and on winning the SFA Cup, potentially fielding stronger line-ups in those competitions and rotating players in league matches.

Rodgers will also have an eye on the January transfer window, which opened for business at the start of this month, with a view to potentially bolstering his squad.

In fact, the Premiership leaders are reportedly looking at a potential addition to their options at the top end of the pitch ahead of the second half of the season.

Celtic eyeing in-form striker

According to The Express, Celtic are eyeing up a possible swoop to bring Brondby centre-forward Mathias Kvistgaarden to Parkhead this month.

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The report claims that the Hoops have already made contact with the Danish star’s camp in January to discuss whether or not deal would be viable ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

It adds that Rodgers is looking to bolster his attacking options and the Superliga star, who was hailed as “phenomenal” and “super consistent” by U23 scout Antonio Mango earlier this season, has seemingly been identified as a potential recruit.

The outlet adds that Celtic have been tracking the young star for the past 18 months and that there are also clubs in England keeping tabs on his situation, which means that they could face some competition for his signature if they decide to press ahead with a move.

It also reveals, though, that a January deal for Kvistgaarden is only likely if Kyogo Furuhashi exits Parkhead, amid interest from MLS side Atlanta United, as the Danish ace is seemingly viewed as a replacement for the Japan international.

As you can see in the table above, the current Celtic centre-forward, who scored twice against Ross County, has been wasteful in front of goal in the Premiership this season.

Kyogo has also been fortunate to record three assists in the division, with zero ‘big chances’ created for his teammates, and this suggests that there is the potential for the Hoops to improve their team by signing a more ruthless forward who also offers more creativity.

Why Celtic should sign Mathias Kvistgaarden

The 22-year-old attacker has been in fantastic form in the Danish top-flight this season and his form suggests that he could come in as an upgrade on the Japanese striker for Celtic.

Kvistgaarden produced eight goals and five assists in 18 Superliga starts in the 2023/24 campaign, and has taken his performances to another level this term.

The Denmark U21 international, who scored against Iceland in his last international outing, is a forward who combines clinical finishing with creativity for his teammates in the centre-forward position.

As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden has contributed to a whopping 14 goals in 12 starts in the Danish top-flight so far this season, with only six ‘big chances’ missed to go along with his ten goals.

These statistics show that the Celtic target is a ruthless and consistent finisher who can also create high-quality opportunities for his fellow forwards, which Kyogo has failed to be this season.

The Brondby star is not the only forward linked with a move to Parkhead, though, and he could thrive as part of a double deal for the Hoops this month, alongside Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph recently reported that Celtic are in talks with the Norwegian side over a potential deal for the left-sided attacker, who could join to form a partnership with Kvistgaarden if the stars align.

Why Kvistgaarden and Orjasaeter could be an exciting pairing

Celtic could have an exciting and new-look front three in the second half of the season if all the pieces fall together and Kyogo moves on, followed by Kvistgaarden and Orjasaeter coming through the door.

As aforementioned, the potential Kyogo replacement has the potential to be a lethal number nine for the Scottish giants, given his goals to ‘big chances’ missed ratio in the Superliga this season.

The Brondby striker could thrive at Parkhead if the team is able to provide him with ‘big chances’ on a regular basis and that is something that Orjasaeter could help with, as he is a creative winger who looks to cut inside off the left to provide his teammates with opportunities to score.

In the 2024 Eliteserien campaign, the Hoops target showcased his creativity quality and the direct threat he can provide on the left flank, as shown in the table below.

Orjasaeter created a whopping 12 ‘big chances’ in 28 matches for the Norwegian side, whilst no current Celtic winger or midfielder has created more than eight this season.

This suggests that the winger has the qualities required to form a lethal partnership with Kvistgaarden in the final third, because he could consistently create chances for the striker to find the back of the net.

Related

Bigger deal than Engels: Rodgers plots Celtic move for Kuhn 2.0

Celtic are reportedly interested in the star who would cost more than Arne Engels did.

Therefore, Rodgers could overhaul his attack and find a new star duo for Celtic by signing both of them in the January transfer window, or by waiting until the summer to bring them in.