Celtic could sign their next Kuhn with a £5m swoop for the exciting star

Celtic are currently on course to enjoy a phenomenal season in all competitions in the Brendan Rodgers‘ second campaign at the club since his return in the summer of 2023.

The head coach of Northern Ireland won the SFA Cup and Scottish Premiership title in their first year back to back, but were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage and failed to win the League Cup.

Celtic have already lifted the League Cup this term, beating Rangers on penalties last month, and are in position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League ahead of their final two matches in the league stage.

It means the Hoops have the chance to enjoy even more success this time around than last season, if they can maintain their current form in all competitions.

Rodgers was helped by the summer work the club did ahead of this term, with Arne Engels, Auston Trusty and Luke McCowan among others.

However, it is one of his January signings from last year’s transfer window who has so far become a star for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 season.

Nicolas Kuhn’s form this season

Rodgers signed Nicolas Kuhn from Austrian side Rapid Vienna on a permanent deal in January 2024 and has had the first five months to settle in Glasgow.

The German striker contributed with two goals and two assists in 14 league appearances during the second half of that season, showing that the winger did not become a permanent star for the Hoops.

However, after that initial adjustment period and pre-season, Kuhn has been on fire for Celtic in all competitions in 2024/25 and his ability as a goalscorer and creator makes him a key player for Rodgers.

The 24-year-old wizard made an incredible return from 16 goals and 11 assists in 27 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which means he scored an average of a goal or an assist every match.

He was particularly impressive in the Premiership, scoring twice in the recent 3-0 win over St Mirren, as a constant threat in the final third for the league leaders.

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn produced more goals and ‘big chances’ created combined than he managed in his start to the Championship for Celtic, which speaks volumes for the quality the winger provided in the upper half of the pitch.

The left-wing star has now laid out a blueprint for how to carry out a successful January signing in bringing in the youngster from abroad, as he needed several months to adapt before he could hit the ground running this season.

Rodgers could sign his next Kuhn by signing one of Celtic’s current transfer targets in a similar fashion to the one that brought the German to Parkhead last year.

Celtic interest in wing wizard

last month, Norwegian sports publication Nettavisen reported that Celtic is one of the teams interested in swoop for Sarpsborg forward Sondre Orjasaeter in the January transfer window.

The Hoops are keen to secure a deal to sign the Norway U21 international to bolster their left-back options, although it has not been mentioned how much the Norwegian side want for his services.

Orjasaeter is valued at £5 million by Transfermarkt and this could provide some insight into the type of fee that might be required to secure his signature before the second half of the season.

Rodgers is reportedly impatient bring in a new left winger to compete with Daizen Maeda for a spot in the attacking lineup, and the Sarpsborg striker fits the bill as a right-winger who plays dominantly on the left side of the attack.

Celtic could now repeat the masterclass they played with Kuhn last year by bringing in another young winger from abroad in the January transfer window.

Why should Celtic sign Sondre Orjasaeter?

Like the German magician, Orjasaeter is a young talent with the potential to grow and develop for years to come, having turned 21 in November.

This means that expectations may be low initially, as they were when Kuhn failed to produce consistent performances straight away, and the winger could use the second half of this season to settle in and adapt to life in Scotland before hopefully pushing on next term .

The fact that the Sarpsborg starlet is a right-sided left winger also means he can play on the opposite side to the current Celtic ace, and Rodgers could have two vibrant talents on either flank if the club manage to keep Kuhn in the summer.

Football scout Jacek Kulig once described the young man as “interesting” player and his form in the Eliteserien confirms this, as he was in impressive form for a player of his age.

As you can see in the table above, Orjasaeter has contributed ten goals and assists in 28 league appearances this season, showing that he can provide quality as both a scorer and goal creator.

The £5m-rated star should have more assists but his team-mates let him down at times with their wasteful finishing, scoring five times from 12 ‘big chances’ created.

These stats suggest there is a foundation for Orjasaeter to develop into Celtic’s next version of Kuhn, as he has the ability to score and create goals, but needs to find more consistency in his end product in the final third.

As a result, Rodgers must push for the board to seal a deal for the promising young talent before the end of the January transfer window.