A defeat to Rangers prior to the mid-season break not only jeopardised Celtic’s ‘nine in a row’ mission but also highlighted the limitations that need to be addressed during the winter transfer window. They are highly reliant on Odsonne Edouard high up the pitch with Leigh Griffiths and Vakoun Issouf Bayo offering little as his understudy, and the necessity of a new centre-forward has been the main talking point since the start of the 2019-20 season.
Although Celtic have been chasing the signing of Slovenian forward Andraz Sporar for quite some time, the asking fee of £5m set by Slovan Bratislava seems to be much higher than the Hoops’ valuation for the player considering the financial constraint of Scottish football.
Celtic, therefore, have been exploring alternatives and according to a report in Poland (as cited by the Daily Record), a £3.5m deal has been agreed for the in-demand Jagiellonia Białystok sensation Patryk Klimala despite interest from the Serie A strugglers Genoa as well as the Bhoys’ Europa League rivals Copenhagen.
The 21-year-old Poland youth international is an emerging prodigy back in his homeland, but he wants to experience the game elsewhere despite having 18 months left to his current deal in Białystok.
How He Would Fit In Lennon’s Team
Odsonne Edouard has been the man in form, and the youngster would be expected to challenge and cover the Frenchman initially before securing a starting role in the forthcoming future. Klimala is determined to be the first choice wherever his future lies, and it is to be seen now how Neil Lennon deploys his new ‘number 9’ once unveiled in the coming days.
“First of all, I don’t want to be the fourth choice, only the first. I want to develop, so I will also choose a league that will give me that. If someone wants me and it is a good option, I will go and fight for my own. I don’t know what will result, but the talks will definitely start in January.”
What Celtic Must Expect From Klimala
Lennon is blessed to have a player of Edouard’s stature who offers high work ethics, mobility as well as maturity while spearheading the attack. However, the growing interest in the Frenchman might result in his summer departure, and the gaffer would expect someone who holds similar traits while replacing their prized asset.
Klimala has fired in 7 times this season in Ekstraklasa and also registered three assists in 17 league outings altogether (stats via Transfermarket). The Polish prodigy must look to replicate a similar show at Parkhead and find an answer to their attacking conundrum before it gets too late.
