Caught in the midst of an unpleasant journey, Ronald Koeman is badly in need of some new reinforcements in the winter transfer window which opens in January. Despite investing heavily in the squad, the lack of quality remains a concern for the Dutch gaffer who hasn’t really struck the right chord yet.
Koeman will be looking forward to digging deep in the transfer market and according to reports, Celtic teenager Anthony Ralston is one of his primary targets. The 18-year-old is one of the most highly rated youngsters currently and is wanted by a number of clubs around the globe.
Ralston broke into the scene last year when he was inducted into the first team at the end of the campaign but his real moment came this season when he was given the charge to stop Neymar’s marauding runs through the flanks in a Champions League group stage match against PSG.
Although Paris Saint Germain ran riot by pumping in five goals past the Hoops, his performance has been the talk of the town. The 18-year-old helped the Scotland U-20s to finish third in the Toulon tournament this summer and also has been invited to train with the Scotland senior team.
Following the injury of Seamus Coleman, Koeman has struggled to find a permanent solution to the right back problem. He brought in Cuco Martina in the summer but neither he nor Mason Holgate has lived up to the bill so far.
There have been doubts whether Coleman would be able to replicate his pre-injury form and that’s why a move for this teenage right back makes sense. The Hoops know the value of the player and will like to hold on to him as long as possible but if the Toffees meet their demands, a deal can be reached.
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are also said to be in the line to offer the player a chance to test his mettle in the Premier League.
There was some heated exchange between him and Neymar throughout the UCL match as Ralston tried his best to keep the winger off the line. The Scott has a contract till 2019 but if Everton make a move, Celtic will find it hard to keep the player, given the current inflated market.
Koeman is trying to build a team surrounded by teenagers and the right-back can join the likes of Tom Davies, Mason Holgate, Ademola Lookman and Nikola Vlasic. So can Ralston make a name for himself in the Premier League?
