According to the report from BBC, Celtic are set to seal the deal for Kilmarnock’s left-back Greg Taylor in the next 24 hours. The Scottish heavyweights had made an earlier bid which was rejected, but they returned to match Taylor’s valuation which will see him become a Celtic player. The player had undergone a medical earlier today as reported by Sky Sports.
The signing of a left-back has been on the cards for quite a while as the Hoops lost the services of Kieran Tierney and Emilio Izaguirre this summer. The club had earlier signed Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo, and Taylor will add more depth and competition for places in the squad.
The 21-year-old had a terrific last campaign as Kilmarnock punched above their weight to finish third in the Premiership. His impressive form didn’t go unnoticed as he was called up for Scotland’s national team this year and he made his debut as well.
Taylor will have huge boots to fill as he will be compared to Tierney, who was quite simply the best fullback in the Scottish Premiership. However, he has the raw ingredients to thrive at this level, and we look at his strengths and weaknesses in this article.
Strengths
The Scotsman is a typical modern-day attack-minded fullback as he is comfortable with the ball at his feet. He can link up play well and deliver some dangerous crosses with his left foot. His pace and acceleration are his standout assets, and he can trouble quite a few Premiership defenders with his overlapping runs.
Apart from all these attributes, the fullback is known for showing great tenacity and perseverance off the ball, and he is always bursting with energy. Defensively, he can hold his ground, but there is still room for improvements there.
Weaknesses
As mentioned, Taylor can improve on the defensive aspect of his game. The Scotland international is still 21, so he does not have the experience of playing at the top level for long. The demands at a club like Celtic can be too much as the club is expected to win every game they play in. The fullback is also not too great in the air, and he needs to improve on his decision making of when to bomb forward and when to sit back and help in defence. With more experience, he will definitely improve.
Celtic fans will have to be slightly patient with Taylor as he is still learning his trade. Nevertheless, he has the talent and potential to make the left-back spot his own at Parkhead, and he can be a ‘Taylor’ made signing for the Bhoys.
