Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a January move for Ukrainian goal machine Artem Dovbyk.
The Hoops have been monitoring the Dnipro striker, who is regarded as one of the top prospects in the former Soviet country and who is available for free at the end of the year.
Dovbyk has netted 12 goals in 12 games this season in the Ukranian Second Division, after Dnipro were relegated for the first time in their history after getting points deducted due to outstanding debts.
His contract expires on December 31 and he’s made it clear he won’t sign a new deal.
And reports in Ukraine have claimed that Celtic and Bundesliga side FC Augsburg have both offered the 20-year-old a contract.
Dovbyk was named Young Player of the Year in Ukraine for 2016/17 and has already been called up for the senior squad by manager and Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko, although he was an unused sub.
He’s a product of Dnipro’s youth academy and had a spell on loan with Moldovan side Zaria Balti two years ago.
He’s netted nine goals in his last eight matches for Dnipro, but has made it clear he wants to try a new challenge.
In the summer, Dovbyk said: “I am keen to try football abroad. I think it would help my chances of playing for Ukraine and improve me as a footballer.”
Celtic’s scouting network have cast their net far and wide recently and Dovbyk is in their sights and they wouldn’t have to fork out a transfer fee.
Heavily linked with Lewis Morgan (St Mirren) of late and Jack Hendry (Dundee centre back). Apparently both were at Celtic Park for the Anderlecht game during the week.
Griffiths is temporarily down to #3 in the striker pecking order but I think he’ll stay as Celtic is his pinnacle and he’s a very good goalscorer at SPFL level. I think it’s partly to give Edouard some game time during a busy period and to see if he has the tools to replace Dembélé.
Typing of him, his second season has been injury impacted and he hasn’t reached last season’s levels when he’s played. His goals scored per minutes played record is still fairly good but his all round play hasn’t been as impressive and he hasn’t stood out in the European games.
I don’t think he’ll be sold in January but my sense was that we’d get two seasons out of him so it’d help Celtic, his own chances of attracting a top club in the summer and his future transfer fee if he gets injury free and playing well in the second half of the season.
Celtic have a purchase option on Edouard at the end of the season so Rodgers will be monitoring his development.
Next season I guess. If Boyata makes the Belgium squad he won’t be available for our early CL qualifiers. Lustig and Gamboa won’t be available either. We need to get defensive cover in January (aside from needing to fix the first team problem anyway). I’m not sure this chap is the answer but that’s the logic I suppose.
I agree. But he’s a German international and I guess there’s some logic behind the move. As long as it’s not seen as the panacea to our defensive problems then I’m ok with it.
Ajer is probably every bit as good as Hendry though. We can’t have too many young centre backs. We really need one more established centre back there at least and then we could do without Boyata and have Ajer and Sviatchenko in reserve.
Also how is Caceres getting on at Verona? Would have liked him as centre back and left back cover. That’s the type of experienced signing we could have done with, and left back cover us crucial unless Miller is ready to play regularly (which I don’t think is the case).
I don’t think we can sign and keep a quality left back to be a sub behind Tierney. Celtic can’t really keep high class defensive backups. So we’re better off going for another Lustig type IMO but probably someone who’s primarily a centre back but can cover left back.