da spicy bet： The January transfer window is set to be a very interesting one for Celtic, with speculation rife about deals for players both coming in and going out of the club.
da dobrowin： At the centre of that speculation is striker Moussa Dembele, who has been heavily linked with a move to the English Premier League after a successful 18 months in Glasgow.
Whether the Hoops deem this month to be the right time to cash in on the Frenchman’s talent remains to be seen, but it’s prudent for the Scottish champions to consider other options regardless.
The club can’t be caught cold by bids late in the month that could leave them without the necessary attacking talent to secure another treble of trophies and progress in Europe past Zenit St Petersburg.
Who could replace Dembele should he move on to more illustrious league?
Here are THREE options Brendan Rodgers should consider…
Cyle Larin
One of Major League Soccer’s most prolific strikers, Cyle Larin is well placed to move to Europe and make a name for himself on a new continent.
The Orlando City striker has scored 44 goals in 89 appearances for his club of the last three seasons and at the age of just 22 has plenty of improving to do, especially working under coaches like Brendan Rodgers.
Tall and powerful, the Canadian international seems keen to make his mark beyond MLS, telling the Orlando Sentinel in October: ‘I have personal goals and dreams and I want to go to Europe and play. I think it’s the right time.’
That kind of ambition would serve him well at Celtic, who have shown they can be a stepping stone for elite young talents like Virgil van Dijk and Victor Wanyama in recent years, alongside Moussa Dembele himself.
Could he be the next man to take Celtic Park by storm?
Dwight Gayle
If Celtic prefer not to go down the inexperienced player with potential route, they could do a lot worse than making a move for Newcastle forward Dwight Gayle.
He may not be the most fashionable of choices should he make a move to Celtic Park but has the quality to be a big hit in the Scottish Premiership, replacing goals that could be lost with the potential exit of Moussa Dembele.
The 27-year-old is currently in a difficult position at St James’ Park, finding himself in that limbo between not quite being good enough to be a stand-out in the English Premier League, but better than English Championship standard.
For Celtic that’s not a problem but a sweet spot they can exploit, with the striker having the experience and scoring record to be a hit in Glasgow.
His 23 goals in the Championship last season demonstrate he’s not just a player who knows how to find the back of the net, but has the mentality to find consistency in a winning side.
Daniel Sturridge
Finding a permanent replacement for Moussa Dembele this month could prove difficult, with the most promising strikers around likely to be wanted by their clubs in the second half of the season.
A viable short-term solution for the immediate challenges facing Celtic could be a loan move for players on the fringes of elite English Premier League squads.
One player who fits the bill for a loan move would be Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, a player who is struggling to find a place in Jurgen Klopp’s starting eleven.
The England international has made just five starts for the Reds this season, behind the likes of Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the Liverpool pecking order.
With 75 goals and 29 assists in 194 Premier League appearances though, he undoubtedly has the quality for a team like Celtic and having worked with Brendan Rodgers previously, under whom he found the best form of career, could begin to rebuild things in Glasgow.