Reports from French journalist Rémi Buhagiar of La Depeche du Midi, as cited by Football Scotland, suggests that Celtic are set to make an official offer for Toulouse defender Christopher Jullien. The Hoops have been linked with the former Freiburg defender in the past few weeks, and it seems like Celtic are ready to make an official approach for the centre back.
Some reports mentioned that the player had a tour of Celtic’s facilities not too long ago. However, that wasn’t the case. Jullien was part of the French squad which won the u-20 World Cup in 2013. Last season, he put in a dominant performance in the Ligue 1 and Celtic are looking to secure his signature in the summer.
However, it is believed that the defender still prefers a move to Spain or France. Jullien has his contract with Toulouse until 2021. It remains to be seen what Celtic’s initial offer would be for the 26-year-old defender.
Why Celtic need defenders?
The club has already lost the services of two centre-halves from last season. Dedryck Boyata has gone on to join Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin. Filip Benkovic is also set to go back to Leicester City after his season-long loan ends. Brendan Rodgers has indicated that he might be willing to send the Croatian again on loan to Parkhead, but that situation is still uncertain.
Jack Hendry is still a work in progress, and he doesn’t seem ready to play first-team football. We think that Lennon should think about sending the young defender away on loan which will help his development as we don’t see him starting for Celtic.
Will Jullien be a good bet for Celtic?
The centre back has that physical side to his game which is often essential to thrive in the Scottish Premiership. Opposition forwards won’t find it easy to go past him.
Given his height (6ft4), Jullien is also known to be strong in the air. He can play his part with the ball at his feet as he is confident and composed on the ball. Celtic will get a complete package in Jullien and a player who is currently at the peak of his powers.
Can Celtic sign him?
The odds seem to be against Celtic at the moment. As mentioned in the report already, the defender prefers a move to France and Spain. Some reports have indicated that the defender might cost £10m. So Celtic will probably have to break their transfer record to sign him. However, European football and a chance to win trophies is something which can go Celtic’s way in convincing the defender to ply his trade in the Premiership.
