According to the latest reports from the Sun, Celtic are interested in signing Arsenal youngster Jordi Osei-Tutu on loan. Championship outfit Brentford are also said to be involved but Bundesliga 2 side Hamburg have already launched a bid to sign him. Arsenal wants Osei Tutu to sign a new contract before deciding on whether they should ship him away on loan or permanently.
Celtic’s right back woes
Osei-Tutu is a right back by trade and Hamburg are interested in signing him permanently. It is no surprise that Celtic are on the lookout for a right back as the club has faced issues in that position for quite some time now. Mikael Lustig who has been a regular in that position for the past few years is on a decline, and he has been behind some glaring errors this season especially in the Europa League.
The Swedish international is going to be out of contract in the next few weeks, and it is yet not clear whether Celtic will offer him a chance to extend his contract. The club brought in Jeremy Toljan in the January transfer window on loan, but the German defender failed to impress. There is no way that Celtic would look to sign him again in the summer. As things stand, Celtic are going to lose on both their right backs in the next few days.
Celtic will need to step up the pursuit if they want to sign the 20-year-old Arsenal player as Hamburg are said to be leading the race. Osei-Tutu is yet to make his senior Arsenal team debut, but he was named on the bench for two games last season. The defender joined the North London club in 2015 from Reading’s youth academy.
The Englishman made 11 appearances for Arsenal’s reserve side in the Premier League 2 where he managed to create one assist.
What will Osei-Tutu bring to Parkhead?
Osei-Tutu is known for his blistering pace and acceleration, and he can be a tough man to catch when the youngster motors on at full speed. He is physically strong and can shield the ball well from the opposition. However, the right-back is yet to be tested at a higher competitive level. There is a massive difference in playing for the youth and reserve side and the senior team.
The potential is definitely there in the Arsenal man, but Celtic need a reliable player who can start producing the goods straightaway in the right back position. Potential wise Celtic themselves have someone like Anthony Ralston who has made a few appearances as the right back. The Arsenal youngster can be a decent signing, but the Hoops should probably look to aim higher and bring in an established player to replace Lustig.
