Celtic are in talks over an exciting replacement for Kyog

Celtic they burned in Scottish Premiership so far this season and it looks like we’re on course for a fourth consecutive division title and the second below Brendan Rodgers since his return.

The Hoops cruised to a 4-1 away win against Ross County on Saturday, with Kyogo Furuhashi scoring twice and Arne Engels and Luke McCowan getting on the scoresheet.

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

This means the Hoops could afford to concentrate their efforts on achieving as much success 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 be keeping an eye on the January transfer window, which opened earlier this month, with a view to potentially strengthening his squad.

In fact, the Premiership leaders are reportedly eyeing a potential addition to their top-flight options ahead of the second half of the season.

Celtic are looking at the in-form striker

According to The ExpressCeltic are considering a possible move to bring Brondby centre-forward Mathias Kvistgaarden to Parkhead this month.

The report claims the Hoops have already made contact with the Denmark star’s camp in January to discuss whether a deal would be viable ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 season.

It is added that Rodgers wants to strengthen his attacking options and the Super League star, who was praised 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 monitoring the young star for the past 18 months and that there are also clubs in England monitoring his situation, meaning they could face competition for his signature if they decide to go ahead with the move. .

It also reveals that a January deal for Kvistgaarden is only likely if Kyogo Furuhashi leaves Parkhead, with interest from MLS side Atlanta United, as the Danish ace is seemingly being considered 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 was also lucky to register three assists in the division, with zero ‘big chances’ created for his team-mates, suggesting there is potential for the Hoops to improve their squad by signing a more ruthless striker who also offers more creativity.

Why Celtic should sign Mathias Kvistgaarden

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

Kvistgaarden produced eight goals and five assists he starts in the 18th Superliga in the 2023/24 campaign, and in this period he raised his performances to a higher level.

Danish U21 national team player, who scored against Iceland in his latest international appearance, he is a striker who combines clinical finishing with creativity for his team-mates at centre-forward.

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

These stats show that the Celtic target is a relentless and consistent finisher who can also create high quality chances for his fellow attackers, something Kyogo has failed to be this season.

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

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph recently reported that Celtic are in talks with the Norwegian side over a potential deal for the left winger, who could join and 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 front three in the second half of the season if all the pieces come together and Kyogo moves on, followed by Kvistgaarden and Orjasaeter in the door.

As previously mentioned, Kyog’s potential replacement has the potential to be a lethal number nine for the Scottish giants, given his goals and missed ‘big chances’ ratio in the Super League this season.

The Brondby striker could thrive at Parkhead if the team can provide him with ‘big chances’ on a regular basis, something Orjasaeter could help with as he is a creative winger who tends to cut in from the left to provide his team-mates with opportunities to scoring a goal.

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

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

This suggests that the winger has the qualities needed to form a lethal partnership with Kvistgaarden in the final third, as he was able to consistently create chances for the striker to find loops.

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