A remarkably intriguing aspect about Celtic’s absolutely flamboyant run of form in Scottish domestic competitions has been the manner in which Brendan Rodgers has marshalled his troops, particularly the young guns he had in his arsenal. The next gen superstars like Moussa Dembele, Patrick Roberts and Kiernan Tierney, to name a few, have inked their mark on the global scale this season and the credit for the same must go to Rodgers who gave them the requisite platform to thrive and excel.
The Bhoys have clinched the League Cup and Scottish Premiership and would register a domestic treble if they manage to beat Aberdeen in the final of the Scottish Cup. After erecting a monumental stature domestically this term, the former Liverpool boss is eyeing to find a strong footing in the Champions League in the upcoming periods. It isn’t a rocket- science like derivation (after analysing his tendency) that he wants to work with the youngsters and pencil the best out of them. Some time back, the Glasgow giants were believed to be eyeing Belgian sensation, Henry Oneyekuru, but the blossoming prospect has implied that he has other ambitions to catch.
Oneyekuru has been a revelation in the Belgian football setup in the campaign which just concluded, having scored 24 goals in 41 games across all competitions for Eupen. The 19-year-old would have been an excellent addition to the ranks of the Hoops considering his fine calibre and intensive knack to bang goals left right and centre. He is versatile enough to be stationed anywhere up front, has blistering pace in his legs and the tenacity to keep toiling relentlessly for creating chances for his teammates and scoring goals himself. Besides, he is clinical and has shown immense technical edge so far whilst playing for Eupen.
The Nigerian is a calm and composed customer inside the box and has carved a name for himself in the good books of the football fraternity. Owing to the rise of stocks of Dembele, who is closely monitored by European powerhouses, the need for a striker as a replacement for the seemingly anticipated exit of the Frenchman holds paramount importance (or to even cultivate more competition for the striker’s role) and no wonder why Celtic put Onyekuru on their radar. But now that the Aspire Academy youth product has brushed aside a move to the Celtic Park, Rodgers’ aspirations must have faced a blow momentarily.
